Bioterrorism threats: Are we ready? Or not?

Physicians have a special role in meeting the demands of an anxious time.

Editorial. March 24/31, 2003.

Biological threats. Dirty bombs. Duct tape.

Who would have thought these phrases would become such a integral part of our everyday conversation? But that's what happened when the nation's Dept. of Homeland Security raised for 20 days last month the terrorism advisory to orange -- the second highest level of alert.

Since then, it's been increasingly hard to turn on the evening news or read the morning headlines without hearing the chilling warnings. Clearly, Americans are nervous, as evidenced by the way plastic sheeting and bottled water flew off store shelves.

The threat index has since been reduced, but the experience still holds an important lesson that applies in medical practice: Readiness is a crucial element to overall emergency preparedness.

To date, medicine has made significant progress in moving toward this goal. In the almost 19 months since the World Trade Center attacks and the anthrax outbreaks, the AMA has played a valuable role in providing physicians with scientific education and support to deal with these previously unthinkable situations. Now, however, the stakes seem to get higher everyday. What does this mean for physicians in this age of color-coded alerts and homeland security worries? The straightforward answer is that it means many things.

It's been said before -- primary care physicians are the early detection system in the event of a terrorist attack involving biological agents. That means that doctors should continue to be vigilant in raising a red flag when they see unusual medical conditions or out-of-the-ordinary patterns of symptoms.