April Newsletter - 2004
Mr. William Patrick, eminent
bioterrorism expert, visits CSB&EI
On
April 13, the Centers for the Study of Bioterrorism & Emerging Infections
hosted Mr. William C. Patrick III. Recognized as the “American Dean” of
bioweapons development, Mr. Patrick has been hailed as the leading expert
on bioterrorism defense strategies since the mid 1970’s with over
52 years of experience in the fields of offensive bioweapons development
and bioweapons defense. From 1951 until he closed down the US biowarfare
program in 1972, Mr. Patrick directed the development and production of
America’s arsenal of biological warfare agents, including viruses,
bacteria, fungi, rickettsias and toxins. After President Nixon discontinued
the biowarfare program in 1972, Mr. Patrick became involved in planning,
directing and coordinating the U.S. Army program of medical defense against
biological agents. Mr. Patrick has been featured on many bioterrorism television
specials both in the U.S. and in England. He has testified before Congress
and was the primary bioterrorism briefing officer for senior members of
the Clinton White House defense team.
On his visit to the Center, Mr. Patrick spent the day with the faculty and staff as a consultant to the center’s Simpox project. He also reviewed the calculations for the concentration and method of release of smallpox virus for a bioterrorist attack. According to Mr. Patrick, the disease assumptions derived from these calculations by our Center were realistic and served as a reliable basis for the live State and County bioterrorism preparation exercises.
Mr. Patrick also granted a television interview by Center Bioterrorism Director Bruce Clements. The interview, to be used in a portion of the exercise as a simulated special science newscast, will have Mr. Patrick describe the expected difference between a naturally occurring disease epidemic and an epidemic caused by the same organism when used as a biological weapon.
In addition to consulting for the Center, Mr. Patrick lectured to over 50 invited guests on a range of topics applicable to our current efforts in biosecurity.
The Center will nominate Mr. Patrick for an appointment as an Adjunct Professor and we expect that he will be a frequent visitor to the Center.Have a question or comment? Email bioterr@slu.edu