The use of chemical weapons to injure or incapacitate an enemy has been an element of warfare since World War I. RAND has developed exercises to train public health agencies to respond to chemical warfare; examined the longer-term psychological consequences of chemical attacks; and created guidelines to improve individual preparedness for chemical, radiological, nuclear, and biological emergencies.
REPORT
Adversaries could acquire emerging chemical and biological (CB) agents years before U.S. defense planners recognize those agents, and many more years before the United States establishes a comprehensive defense against them. Gaps in defenses against chemical and biological weapon agents can pose a serious risk to U.S. military operations. This paper summarizes early expert observations about the threat and possible responses.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Presents a broad overview of the U.S. public health response system, recent efforts to improve preparedness, challenges faced, and options for moving forward.
NEWS RELEASE
May 9, 2007 news release: RAND Study Finds Terrorist Groups Teach Each Other Deadly Skills.
REPORT
Individuals can take simple steps to protect themselves from the harmful effects of potential terrorist attacks involving chemical, radiological, nuclear, and biological weapons.
RESEARCH BRIEF
This research brief outlines assistance that RAND provided to the OSAGWI in investigating the health effects of eight areas of possible causes of illness: infectious diseases, pyridostigmine bromide, immunizations, wartime stress, chemical and biological warfare agents, oil well fires, depleted uranium, and pesticides.
REPORT
States and terrorist groups have attempted to recruit and acquire weapons-critical knowledge, skills, and materials from the former Soviet Union. U.S. programs designed to reduce the risk of diversion are outdated and should be adjusted to address the biggest threats.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The integration of individual components will lead to relatively complicated materials and equipment architectures based on nanotechnology emerging from experiments currently in the laboratory.
COMMENTARY
Published commentary by RAND staff.
COMMENTARY
Published RAND commentary by RAND staff.
COMMENTARY
Published commentary by RAND staff.
COMMENTARY
Published commentary by RAND staff.
REPORT
The 1990-1991 Gulf War made clear the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) need to effectively acquire drugs and biologics, mainly vaccines, as American troops faced the real threat of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents being used in combat. More than a decade after the war, DoD still experiences acute obstacles in obtaining CBW defense supplies. In response, the authors look at the department’s relationship…
RESEARCH BRIEF
This research brief describes work documented in Individual Preparedness and Response to Chemical, Radiological, Nuclear, and Biological Terrorist Attacks (MR-1731-SF).
COMMENTARY
Published commentary by RAND staff.
COMMENTARY
Published commentary by RAND staff.
REPORT
This issue paper discusses the challenges of measuring preparedness for chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incidents and illustrates the difficulties using detailed, nationally representative data from local response organizations on the existence and exercise of plans to address these types of incidents.
REPORT
The public health and medical communities have long sought to address the threat of biological, chemical, or other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their potential effects on the health and safety of U.S. citizens.
COMMENTARY
Published commentary by RAND staff.
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