DSA 2012

DSA has become one of the world's top five defence and security exhibitions and firmly remains the Asia Pacifics region's most vital procurement hub for Defence and Security. Fully supported by the Malaysian Ministry of Defence, Malaysian Armed Forces and Royal Malaysia Police, DSA 2012 is all set to become the most comprehensive, the biggest, the most attended, making it the most successful edition in its series of 12 shows over the last two decades.
One of the highlights of DSA 2012 is Pox.

POX - Pox Outbreak Exercise

A supervised table-top exercise, code-named Operation Viral Storm, based on a smallpox outbreak.

Why Have Operation Viral Storm?

Biological weapons are an increasingly serious and complex threat to national security. US CDC has identified the high-priority agents that pose a risk to national security - the so-called class A agents. The most feared biological virus among these agents is smallpox. This threat has increased during the last decade due to advances in synthetic biotechnology which increases the likelihood and concern that the smallpox virus might be obtained and used as an agent of bioterrorism.
The world has witnessed a knowledge explosion in the life sciences based on an understanding of genes an how they work. This continued advancement of biotechnology increases the availability and weaponisation potential of dangerous pathogens. Smallpox exhibits the ultimate threat in terms of public health, disruption of social order, economics, national security and governance. In fact, an outbreak involving smallpox, whether by accidental release or deliberate attack, constitutes a major security threat on a national level which could easily become an international disaster.

Who Will Participate in P.O.X?

This table top exercise is exclusively open to Chiefs of Defence Forces and Surgeon Generals from around the world, for the unique opportunity to meet with peers to discuss and debate the challenges of this important topic. The exercise is hosted by Ministry of Defence, Malaysia and moderated by international renowned experts in bio-preparedness.

Smallpox, The Most Feared Infectious Disease

Smallpox is highly contagious disease unique to humans caused by the Variola virus. It is easily transmitted from person to person and about 30 percent of those who become infected will die. Few other illnesses have had such a profound effect on human health. In the 20th century alone, at least 300 million people died from smallpox.
Although officially eradicated in 1980 the risk of recurrence is real. Natural sources include UN repositories, archived laboratory speciments, mutation of a related poxvirus or resurrection of virus out-side laboratories. International release might result from unauthorised acquisition from UN repositories, offensive state programmes or laboratory synthesis.
There is no proven cure or treatment for smallpox once infected. The average incubation period is 12 days followed by fever for 2-4 days and a subsequent widespread rash. The only proven protection against smallpox is vaccination.

"The most important under-addressed threat relating to terrorism, and one
which acutely requires new thinking on the part of the international community,
is that of terrorist using a biological weapon."
Kofi Annan Secretary-General, United Nations, April 2006 Recommendations for a
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy
 

Conventional replicating smallpox vaccines are effective but considered unsafe due to high rates of serious adverse events; this includes death and severe disability. The 2003 US vaccination programme for health care workers involving more than 37,000 individuals confirmed these severe side effects. In addition to these side effects, conventional replicating vaccines are contraindicated in up to 25% of the population including individuals with HIV and people with eczema.
Many countries stockpile smallpox vaccines for their entire population including countries like Germany, UK, US and Singapore.

"The synthesis of full-length smallpox virus genomes and the creation of live
orthopoxviruses is now technically feasible."
WHO Advisory Committee on Variola Virus Research, November 2009

Structure of a POX Exercise

A workshop is a supervised table-top exercise, with cycles of dilemmas and interactive dicussion between the participants who are primarily high level decision making officials within the armed forces.
The exercise is divided into several phases, where the information is presented in TV news clips. As events progress participants are given the opportunity to promote a detailed action plan calibrated to match the flow of events during a smallpox outbreak.
The roles and responsibilities of the participants involve not only the health structure, and civilian public health authorities, but also management options of the security, military and political stakeholders are addressed as the scenario is unfolded.

Critical Issues Discussed During a POX Exercise

a) Biothreats in general
b) Medical countermeasures play a pivotal role in successfully combating a smallpox outbreak
c) National security may be threatened in a deliberate attack using a contagious biological agent, and it supersedes the public health response
d) Planning is critical, and may involve generic plans developed and tailored to handle different scenarios involving both natural outbreaks and deliberate releases of infectious agents
e) Military intervation is crucial in managing a contagious biological outbreak

What Are The Steps in a POX Exercise?

Leading experts within biological warfare brief the participants on the biological WMD no. 1, Smallpox, disease characteristics and the optimal biological preparedness	After the questions are put forward the participants will discuss and suggest solutions
Clip from the local IBC News brings all the developments in the smallpox disease outbreak to the audience	The suggestion and solutions are shared in plenum
After each news clip the participants are asked to discuss a series of related questions put forward by the exercise moderator	Certificate of participation are handed out by the host

Opeation Viral Storm Speaker Profiles

Col. (ret.) Randall Larsen USAF Colonel Randall J. Larsen, USAF (Ret) is the chief executive officer of the WMD Center, a not-for-profit research organization he founded along with former Senators Bob Graham (D-FL) and Jim Talent (R-MO). He also serves as the national security advisor at the Center for Biosecurity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and a senior fellow at the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University. read more...

Dr. Robert Kadlec Dr. Robert Kadlec served 26 years as a military physician and retired as a colonel in the United State Air Force, serving in several senior positions in the White House, the U.S. Senate, and the Department of Defense. His most recent position was serving as a Director of Biodefense and Public Health at PRTM Management Consultants LLC. Dr. Kadlec previously served as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Biodefense Policy on the Homeland Security Council from 2007 to 2009. read more...

Viral Storm Programme

click here to download the Brochure (in PDF format)