Fentanyl

Policy opinion leaders believe a biological attack is both more likely and easier to execute than a nuclear strike, highlighting concerns around bioterrorism and the nation’s readiness to respondGAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) today announced the results of a new survey1 of approximately 250 U.S. policy opinion leaders showing that nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of respondents agree the likelihood of a biological attack on U.S. soil is rising, yet almost half (45 percent) believe the U.S. is unprepared for a biological attack. Conducted by Penta Group on behalf of Emergent, the survey amplifies findings in the unclassified 2025 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community which highlights continued, serious concerns that adversarial nations possess biological and chemical weapons and that additional countries are continuing their research and development of chemical, biological, and pharmaceutical-based agents.2 “The risk of bio attacks in the U.S. and around the world is significant, and perhaps even more dangerous than nuclear weapons, given the relative low cost and overall ease to produce, especially today with the enabler of artificial intelligence,” said Hon. Andy Weber, Senior Fellow at the Council on Strategic Risk and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs. “To meet today’s threat we need robust surveillance, stockpiles of PPE and medical countermeasures, and established partnerships to rapidly develop, produce, and deliver vaccines and medicines to address bioengineered or novel threats.” Despite the establishment of international treaties such as the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), emerging threats posed by non-traditional agents, particularly central nervous system (CNS)-acting chemicals and biotoxins, present ongoing challenges to international security.3 Foreign adversary research on pharmaceutical based agents is known to include the development and autonomous deployment of highly potent, weaponized synthetic opioids, like aerosolized fentanyl and medetomidine.4 Aerosolized fentanyl caused the death of 130 civilians during the Dubrovka Theater attack in Moscow 2002. Additionally, from the new survey, policy opinion leaders also see biological threats as a top national security concern, outpacing concerns over nuclear threats. Of note: Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of policy opinion leaders surveyed agree the likelihood of a biological attack is rising in the U.S., compared to 60 percent who say the same for nuclear threats.A strong majority (73 percent) believe a biological attack would be easier to carry out than a nuclear one (27 percent).When asked which is more likely to occur, almost half (46 percent) identify a biological attack as the more likely event, versus 29 percent citing nuclear.Nearly 9 in 10 surveyed believe in the need for the U.S. to maintain global leadership in researching and developing medicines for known biological threats, and to continue government support of the biotech and biodefense industries. “When it comes to biological threats, preparedness can be a deterrent. Strong public-private partnerships can enable rapid response in the event of an attack and should remain a national security priority,” said Joe Papa, president and CEO of Emergent. “With over 25 years of experience developing, manufacturing and delivering medical countermeasures for known bioterrorist threats like anthrax and smallpox, Emergent is well positioned and poised to continue to support U.S. preparedness efforts through our North American capabilities and USMCA-compliant facilities.” Emergent’s portfolio of products addresses four Category A biological agents: Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis), Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin), Smallpox (variola major) and Viral hemorrhagic fevers (filoviruses, e.g. Ebola).5 This classification by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates agents that are considered the highest risk for a biological attack due to potential ease of dissemination and high mortality rates. Despite the ease of dissemination, manufacturing medical countermeasures to protect against and treat potential disease from these infectious agents and toxins requires specialized manufacturing capabilities. Through its North American manufacturing network, Emergent has both clinical and commercial Biosafety Level 2 and Level 3 manufacturing capabilities. About Emergent BioSolutionsAt Emergent, our mission is to protect and save lives. For over 25 years, we’ve been at work preparing those entrusted with protecting public health. We deliver protective and life-saving solutions for health threats like smallpox, mpox, botulism, Ebola, anthrax and opioid overdose emergencies. To learn more about how we help prepare communities around the world for today’s health challenges and tomorrow’s threats, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Investor Contact:Richard S. LindahlExecutive Vice President, CFOlindahlr@ebsi.com Media Contact:Assal HellmerVice President, Communicationsmediarelations@ebsi.com 1Penta Group surveyed 252 policy opinion leaders between October 10, 2025 - October 16, 2025. Policy opinion leaders were defined as “highly informed and influential individuals deeply attuned to political and policy developments” and included government affairs executives, policy commentators and advocacy leaders who follow and potentially inform relevant policy discourse. The survey was designed to include a nationally representative sample; results from the survey have a sampling margin of error of +/-6.1 percentage points and represent a mix of demographics such as age, gender, region, and income. Data on file. 2Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Available at: https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/ATA-2025-Unclassified-Report.pdf. Accessed: October 21, 2025. 3Repilado-Álvarez A, Guerra Guirao JA, Cuadrado Berrocal I, et al. Threat of non-traditional agents: a new frontier in chemical weapons concerns? BMJ Mil Health. Available at: https://militaryhealth-bmj-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/content/early/2025/08/24/military-2025-003101. Accessed: October 21, 2025. 4Institute for Science and International Security. The Islamic Republic’s Work on Pharmaceutical Based Agents. Available at: https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/the-islamic-republics-work-on-pharmaceutical-based-agents/. Accessed: October 21, 2025. 5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Category A and B Biological Agents. Available at: https://stacks-cdc-gov.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/view/cdc/138996/cdc_138996_DS1.pdf. Accessed: October 21, 2025.

ATLANTA, Oct. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study published in Music and Medicine reveals that intraoperative music therapy significantly reduces the amount of propofol required during laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed under general anesthesia. This research demonstrates that intraoperative music therapy significantly reduces the amount of propofol required during laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed under general anesthesia. Patients who received therapeutic music required less anesthesia, experienced smoother awakenings, and showed reduced physiological stress markers, including lower perioperative cortisol levels. These findings highlight the potential of music as a powerful non-pharmacological tool in the operating room, demonstrating enhanced patient outcomes and reduced reliance on medication. This study is available open access online to the public courtesy of Music and Medicine and IAMM (The International Association for Music and Medicine) "These findings show that this is more than just simple background music, rather an integration of a novel intervention into anesthetic practice," said Dr. Tanvi Goel, principal investigator and anesthesiologist at Lok Nayak Hospital and Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi, India. "By delivering intraoperative music, we're engaging the patient's nervous system even under anesthesia—blunting the neuroendocrine stress response when the body is most vulnerable," added Dr. Farah Husain, co-investigator and certified music therapist. "The auditory environment under anesthesia is often neglected, but sound—when delivered with therapeutic intent—may accelerate healing, reduce stress, and improve recovery in ways we are only beginning to quantify," noted Dr. Sonia Wadhawan, Director Professor of Anesthesia and Intensive Care at Maulana Azad Medical College. Key findings of the study include: Reduced anesthetic needs: Patients in the music group required significantly less propofol and fentanyl. Smoother awakenings: Participants experienced gentler, more comfortable recovery from anesthesia. Lower stress response: Perioperative cortisol levels were substantially reduced compared with controls. "This study adds to the growing empirical evidence that the neural effects of patient-preferred music translate to behavioral benefits," said Wendy L. Magee, PhD, Professor of Music Therapy at Temple University's Boyer College of Music and Dance. "For people with disorders of consciousness following brain injury, patient-preferred music improves arousal and cognition. This research furthers the evidence that music with personal meaning enhances salience and emotional impact—maximizing music's neural effects and supporting recovery." "This study shows the real potential of music to improve anesthetic care, but we must go further," said Joseph J. Schlesinger, MD, FCCM, Professor of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, Hearing & Speech Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "To truly understand how music affects the brain during surgery, we need multimodal EEG and a broader view of the perioperative sound environment that includes both patient outcomes and provider safety." "These findings open the door for future studies to expand sample sizes, explore music therapy across general anesthesia for different types of surgery, and develop standardized music protocols that could be implemented in hospitals worldwide." - Fred J Schwartz, MD Editorial Commentary from Music and Medicine This commentary is available to the public online courtesy of Music and Medicine and IAMM (The International Association for Music and Medicine) Funding & Disclosures The authors declare no competing financial interests or conflicts of interest related to this research. JOURNAL Music and Medicine DOI Commentary - METHOD OF RESEARCH Randomized controlled/clinical trial SUBJECT OF RESEARCH People ARTICLE TITLE Effect of patient selected music therapy on propofol consumption in laparoscopic cholecystectomy under total intravenous anaesthesia: A randomised controlled trial ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE 27-Oct-2025 SOURCE International Association for Music & Medicine WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED