Chemical and Biological Terrorism: Research and Development to Improve Civilian Medical Response

Abstract

National Academy Press, based in Washington, D.C., present the full text of the book entitled "Chemical and Biological Terrorism: Research and Development to Improve Civilian Medical Response." The book was compiled by the Committee on Research and Development Needs for Improving Civilian Medical Response to Chemical and Biological Terrorism Incidents of the Institute of Medicine and published in 1999. The committee highlights the areas of pre-incident intelligence, detection and identification of chemical and biological agents, protective clothing and equipment, and others that need to be examined to negate possible future chemical and bioterrorist attacks. Pre-incident communication and intelligence: linking the intelligence and medical communities -- Personal protective equipment -- Detection and measurement of chemical agents -- Recognizing covert exposure in a population -- Detection and measurement of biological agents -- Patient decontamination and mass triage -- Availability, safety, and efficacy of drugs and other therapies -- Prevention, assessment, and treatment of psychological effects -- Computer-related tools for training and operations -- Conclusions and recommendations.