A sampling of what's available...
Columnists
Laura H. Kahn
The exodus of general medical physicians
The United States could better protect itself against epidemics and bioterrorism by supporting the people who will diagnose and treat the victims.
Bring back the Office of Technology Assessment
Without an effective advisory body such as OTA, Congress continues to make decisions about scientific and technological advancements it doesn't fully understand.
How the pet food scare affects global health
When a company decides to sell food on the international market (pet or otherwise), it better understand that everybody’s health is at stake.
Mother Nature’s bioterrorism
The alarming decline of honeybees and other species demonstrates that dangerous biothreats can originate from more natural, innocuous sources than Al Qaeda.
The evolution and consequences of synthetic biology
Synthetic biology could drastically alter our way of life. It's up to the scientific community to determine how.
Establishing a code of conduct in the life sciences
A Hippocratic oath is merely lip service, rigorous ethical standards need to be developed to properly vet those pursuing a career in the life sciences.
Animals: The world's best (and cheapest) biosensors
If health professionals want to identify an epidemic as early as possible, they need only look to their local zoo.
A dangerous biodefense path
The Bush administration claims its biological research initiative will help fight terrorism, but does this research violate the Biological Weapons Convention?
The security impact of the uninsured
How universal health care might prove to be an effective defense against bioterrorism.
Government oversight and the life sciences
Could increased U.S. regulation endanger research in the life sciences--á la human subject research?
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
-
"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
-
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