Recruiting bio-industry into bio-defense

Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) plan to introduce legislation this week that would increase incentives for biopharmaceutical companies to participate in efforts to defend against attacks with biological agents, according to industry officials involved in the effort.

Kennedy invited representatives from the Biotechnology Industry Organization, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and several biotech and pharma companies to a meeting last week to solicit ideas for the legislation. Anthony Fauci, director of NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also attended. ...