Preparing for an era of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Are we there yet? Why we should all be concerned. Part 1.

In the aftermath of September 11th and autumn 2001, tremendous efforts have been expended to enhance national preparedness to protect against terrorism and weapons of mass destruction (WMD). However there remain significant vulnerabilities across domains, including communications, health care facility preparedness, professional training, interagency collaborations, public health infrastructure, surveillance capabilities, the food supply, the environment and resource allocation. It is a significant challenge to prepare for an unknown event, without a clear-cut indicator of who to protect and from whom. The daunting tasks of preparing a nation, remedyingyears of under-investment in public health, and promoting cooperative endeavors among agencies unaccustomed to working together cannot be solved merely by money, brief overview training programs, and quick fixes. None the less, much progress has been made and hope is on the horizon. Although it would seem obvious to include toxicologists in WMD planning, often this is not the case. What role should the poison control and toxicology communities play? What follows is the first of a two-part discussion of our current state of WMD preparedness and the vulnerabilities we must address. Part 2 will examine possible solutions and discuss the critical leadership role toxicology can play in this important arena.