Why biodefense must be a national security priority 

For decades, America’s strength in national security was measured in terms of military strength (or number of tanks, planes, ships, and troops). But in today’s world, a single line of malicious code or a manipulated virus can wreak more havoc than any conventional attack. The battlefield has shifted, and so must our defenses.  

Biological threats and viruses are not just a part of nature; they could come out of rogue labs, a rogue state, or even a biological attack. A deliberate biological attack or a lab leak of an engineered virus could cripple industries, destabilize supply chains, and undermine our economy. We must prepare for these threats as part of our broader strategic planning. 

Take smallpox: while it was one of the world’s deadliest diseases until it was eradicated by means of