- WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- President
Bush signed legislation on Wednesday aimed at encouraging the development
of drugs and vaccines to negate the impact of attacks using biological
and chemical weapons.
-
- The $5.6 billion, 10-year Project BioShield program expands
public- and private-sector research incentives to develop treatments, antidotes
and vaccines that would otherwise not find a viable commercial niche.
-
- "We will rally the great promise of American science
and innovation to confront the greatest danger of our time," Bush
said during a signing ceremony in the White House Rose Garden.
-
- Bush penned his name to the law on the same day his staff
was to be briefed on the final report of the commission investigating the
Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Bush will receive a copy of the report upon its
release on Thursday.
-
- The BioShield legislation will encourage more research
and will also basically guarantee a market by buying and stockpiling the
new drugs and vaccines to treat or protect people against such diseases
as anthrax, smallpox or the plague, or against such toxins as ricin.
-
- Without such assurances, the private sector would be
reluctant to invest millions in products that in a best case scenario would
never be needed.
-
- Copyright © 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited
without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable
for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance
thereon. http://news.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5732649
|
