The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC) will evaluate the effectiveness of BioWatch, including a comparison of benefits and costs for Generations 2 and 3; the costs and benefits of an enhanced national surveillance system that relies on US hospitals and the US public health system will also be assessed, and its effectiveness compared to that of the current BioWatch approach. The IOM/NRC will:

1. Evaluate the relative merits, and current and potential capabilities of the BioWatch monitoring system (Generation 2 and Generation 3) to detect bioterrorist attacks and other biothreats via environmental monitoring, with the aim of early warning and pre-infection prophylaxis and expedited response and recovery. The evaluation will consider both BioWatch Generation 2 and Generation 3 equipment, and the relative advantages and disadvantages of each, including their costs and benefits.
2. Describe the characteristics of an “enhanced national surveillance system” that relies on US hospitals and the US public health system.
3. Examine the costs, merits, and capabilities of the current and a potential “enhanced national surveillance system” to provide a basis for a rapid response to bioterrorist attacks or other biothreats, including initiation of pre-infection prophylaxis and expedited response and recovery.
4. Reach a conclusion as to whether the two systems are redundant or complementary, both in current configuration and potential “enhanced” configuration. The analysis shall include a comparison of the effectiveness of the potential “enhanced” national surveillance system with the current and planned BioWatch approach.
5. Prepare an interim report to outline the progress to date on addressing the major issues under consideration by the committee including the types of information that have been collected for assessment and any obstacles to addressing items in the task. The interim report will also provide any conclusions reached by that date.
6. Utilize the results obtained in items 1 through 4 to compile a comprehensive final report of the study. The final report shall include all findings and results concerning the effectiveness of BioWatch. The contractor shall present and brief the final report to OHA senior management prior to its public release in prepublication form and dissemination according to the regular practices of the National Academies. The publication process for the final report will be completed following its public release.