A sampling of what's available...
Columnists
Laura H. Kahn
The science fiction effect
From Frankenstein to Jurassic Park, authors have been writing about "mad scientists" messing around with life. Science fiction can be a powerful tool to influence society's views of the life sciences -- one scientists should take advantage of.
Going viral
Scientists recently made the deadly H5N1 influenza virus more communicable. Clearly it's time for the NIH to have greater oversight before it funds one of the seven deadly sins of biomedical research.
Using microbes to fight microbes
We need to learn to live smarter with microbes: Is it time to embrace bacteriophages?
Why isn't health care a US right?
The Constitution guarantees the right to a lawyer. Why not to a doctor?
What Contagion missed
Contagion, the latest Hollywood movie to depict a deadly epidemic, missed an opportunity to show the public the ongoing fight -- pre-pandemic -- against emerging diseases.
How hurricane-proof is your state?
The states hit most frequently and predictably by hurricanes should have the best public health and emergency-response systems, right? Not so fast.
How a deadly E. coli outbreak revealed Germany’s dysfunctional public health system
This summer's fatal spate of E. coli eruptions is a sober reminder that a country's bureaucratic infrastructure can hinder effective responses to a globalized food system and contribute to the unnecessary loss of life.
The uncertainty surrounding sustainable agriculture
Can we actually feed billions and still preserve the planet?
The Biological Weapons Convention: Proceeding without a verification protocol
The proposed verification protocol for the Biological Weapons Convention has been a stumbling block; it’s time to explore alternative means to improve biosecurity.
Is the United States prepared for a nuclear reactor accident?
Although a catastrophic failure of emergency backup systems at a US nuclear reactor may be unlikely, solid planning and preparations are in order -- and should begin with determining whether an emergency zone extends 10 or 20 miles from a nuclear power plant.
The unsolved anthrax murder mystery
The 2001 anthrax attacks illustrate that investigating and solving public health crimes and bioterrorist attacks is extremely difficult; federalizing the system would help.
Deforestation and emerging diseases
The world's forests do more than preserve biodiversity and absorb carbon dioxide -- they also help prevent the emergence of deadly infectious diseases.
Lessons from the Netherlands
An unprecedented Q fever outbreak in the Netherlands shows that a more unified approach to agriculture and public health is badly needed.
Making sense of the Haitian cholera disaster
Poor sanitation and lack of clean water -- not UN peacekeepers -- are to blame for the outbreak.
When the H1N1 flu hits home
With the H1N1 vaccine in short supply and the flu epidemic recently declared a national emergency, hospitals will be overcrowded--meaning most health care for flu victims will happen at home.
When science is lacking, good leadership is critical
If an epidemic is caused by a novel agent that science hasn't figured out, leaders must use their best judgment and common sense in making policy decisions. Untold numbers of lives may depend on it.
The need for political leadership during a crisis
In a public health crisis, there may be many opposing viewpoints and suggestions for action. All the more reason for elected officials to mediate disputes and unite people toward a common cause.
Leadership in a public health crisis
How leaders react to health crises provides many lessons for effective crisis response. The columnist's new book demonstrates how improving leadership can benefit or worsen a public health crisis.
Profile
Laura H. Kahn
A general internist who began her career in health care as a registered nurse, Kahn works on the research staff of Princeton University's Program on Science and Global Security. Her expertise is in public health, biodefense, and pandemics. From 2003-2005, she led a study that assessed the public health infrastructures of New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. She has also co-organized the Carnegie Corporation’s "Biodefense Challenge" seminar series, which introduces biosecurity, codes of conduct, and dual-use biotech threats to the life sciences community. Prior to joining Princeton, she was a managing physician for the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and a medical officer for the Food and Drug Administration.
Columnist Resources
Recent Work
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"How the Radiological and Nuclear Medical Communities Can Improve Nuclear Security"
Journal of American College of Radiology (April 2007) -
"Confronting Zoonoses Through Closer Collaboration Between Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (as 'One Medicine')"
Veterinaria Italiana (January-March 2007) -
"A Comparative Study of Four States' Public Health Systems: Survey Results from Local Health Departments, Physicians, and Veterinarians"
Final Report to the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation (August 2006) -
"Feasibility of Eliminating the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium in the Production of Medical Radiopharmaceuticals"
Science & Global Security (May-December 2006) -
"Confronting Zoonoses, Linking Human and Veterinary Medicine"
Emerging Infectious Diseases (April 2006) -
"Nuclear Power Plant Emergencies and Thyroid Cancer Risk"
Co-authored with Frank von Hippel for New Jersey Medicine (September 2004)
Recommended Links
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PROMed Mail
The global electronic reporting system for outbreaks of emerging infectious disease and toxins -
Emerging Infectious Diseases
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention journal -
Virtual Biosecurity Center
A Federation of Americna Scientists resource of news and events related to biosecurity -
One Health Initiative
A movement to forge co-equal, all-inclusive collaborations between physicians, veterinarians, and other scientific-health related disciplines -
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy
Infectious disease prevention through epidemiologic research and the rapid translation of scientific information into practical applications and solutions -
National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity
A federal initiative to promote biosecurity in life science research -
Office of Technology Assessment Archive
A collection of OTA reports provided by the Federation of American Scientists -
WHO Life Science Research and Development and Global Health Security
Raising the awareness among WHO members about the potential implications of life science R&D for global health security -
Partnership for a Secure America WMD Report Card
An examination of U.S. government programs to prevent nuclear, chemical, and biological terrorism -
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
International medical organization dedicated to preventing nuclear war and abolishing nuclear weapons