
The Department of Homeland Security’s plans to replace the its current biothreat warning system with an automated detection program are unsound and communications with state and local authorities that must develop response plans based on the new technology have been insufficient, local public health officials testified before a House panel on Thursday. Officials said that military biodetection technologies being considered for the new program, Biological Detection for the 21st Century (BD21), are outdated and generate false alarm rates that would…