All projected tasks for the European Commission’s Task
Force for Biological and Chemical Attacks (
http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph/programmes/bio-terrorism/index_en.html)
take both biological and chemical threats into account. The Task Force experts
have compiled information from a series of valid lists of toxic threats, from
bodies including the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW), the Australia Group* (AG), the World Health Organization (WHO), the
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and others.
A list of suspicious chemicals and toxins is being finalised by the Task Force,
working with their counterparts in the Global Health Security Initiative of
the G7+ countries (1). The Task Force’s activities are a part of the Programme
of cooperation on preparedness and response to biological and chemical agent
attacks (
http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph/programmes/bio-terrorism/bioterrorism01_en.pdf)
In order to create clinical review documents on the toxic syndromes and
treatment of the toxic agents on the list, the Task Force is in the process
of initiating cooperation with the European Association of Poison Control
Centers and Clinical Toxicologists (EAPCCT,
http://www.eapcct.org/). The task force has also initiated the preparation
of a guidance document on the use of antidotes and pharmaceuticals, to be
produced by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products
(EMEA, http://www.emea.eu.int/).
Hundreds of chemicals enter the market each day. Detailed information is
available for only a few hundred of the hundreds of thousands of chemical
substances that exist and are possibly in regular use. Given that tonnes
of some of these substances are produced by industry every year, almost
any industrial chemical in the wrong hands could potentially be used as
a weapon.
Existing EU legislation on chemical accidents and chemicals in the work
place, and in drinking water and food, is also under review. The Seveso
II directive (96/82/EC) (http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/seveso/)
provides much data on dangerous chemicals and the Task Force has initiated
work with the relevant unit in the Joint Research Center (JRC,
http://www.jrc.it/) that manages this database.
An inventory of the poison centres in the EU member states has been completed,
and their involvement in responding to acts of deliberate release of agents
surveyed. Data from the survey will also provide the beginnings of a larger
inventory of scientific expertise, both clinical and laboratory-related,
in the EU. Contacts with international organisations that work in the field
of chemicals are in also being made, in order to forge information sharing
agreements on expertise.
A working group on chemical threats of nominated experts from the 15 member
states was recently established, and met for the first time on 11 December
2002. This working group will meet regularly, and its role is to assist
the Task Force with prioritising the work and tasks. A project of collaborative
surveillance between member state poison centres of toxic syndromes is underway,
to facilitate earlier recognition of a possible chemical agent release,
and planning is underway for a combined biological and chemical European
evaluation exercise.
*The Australia group was set up in 1985 with the objective of controlling
the export of dual use biological and chemical goods. It includes 33 countries,
including the EU member states and the European Commission.
Relevant web sites on chemicals and toxic agents: