Unprepared for bioterror?

WASHINGTON — A new independent study says that despite two years and $2 billion of federal money, states are only modestly better prepared to confront bioterrorism than they were before 9/11 and its subsequent anthrax attacks — and Utah earned one of the lower scores for its efforts.

Utah scored only a 4 out of a possible 10, according to a state-by-state study released Thursday by the private Trust for America's Health. Only 17 states scored lower.

"Are we ready or not" for bioterrorism? "The answer is 'not,' " said Shelley A. Hearne, executive director of the trust. "The federal bioterrorism funds were an important first step. However, two years of increased funding cannot make up two decades of underinvestment."

Healthyamericans.org, the trust's Web site, notes the nonpartisan organization is working to make disease prevention a national priority.

"With bioterrorism, chemical terrorism, SARS and West Nile virus representing only a handful of today's health threats, federal, state and local health agencies are being pushed and pulled beyond their limits," said trust president Lowell Weicker, a former governor and U.S. senator from Connecticut.

The study looked at how states performed on 10 key measures in efforts to improve their ability to respond to bioterrorism or disease outbreaks. States received a point for each measure they had fully achieved.

Utah achieved four points for:

• Spending or committing at least 90 percent of the 2002 federal bioterrorism preparedness funds it received.

• Having at least one "bio-safety level 3" lab available for diagnostic research.

• Having enough labs to handle a public health emergency.

• Developing an initial bioterrorism plan.

But the study said Utah lacked such things as:

• Passing on 50 percent of federal aid to local health departments.

• Maintaining or increasing public health spending.

• Having enough workers to distribute Strategic National Stockpile supplies.

• Having no more than three counties without emergency alert capability.

• Having a pandemic flu plan.