Research on medical countermeasures for chemical attacks on civilians

Abstract Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are highly toxic chemicals that have been used in military conflicts, beginning in World War I and continuing in more recent conflicts in Syria. Since the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, there has been an increased effort to better prepare for the potential deployment of chemical weapons and agents against civilian targets. Civilian threats include these CWAs, but also toxic industrial chemicals and other toxic chemicals deemed a threat to civilians. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed and sustained a highly focused effort to support research on the development of safe and effective medical countermeasures for chemical threats. The NIH program has increased the knowledge base on chemical threats and had developed several new therapeutics that have transitioned to advanced development and some that have been approved for deployment. Research gaps and ongoing research at NIH are discussed in this chapter.