Over the last decade, the United States has responded to deliberate biological attacks – e.g., the mailing of anthrax-laden letters, as well as naturally occurring disease outbreaks including SARS and the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has issued the BARDA Strategic Plan for 2011-2016, which articulates the guiding principles, goals, and strategies it will implement to enhance the capability of the U.S. government to develop medical countermeasures (MCMs) to these and other natural as well as intentional threats to the nation’s health.
http://www.phe.gov/about/barda/Documents/barda-strategic-plan.pdf