ABSTRACT
The overall National Institutes of Health Medical Research Program Directed Against Chemical Threats is directed by the Chemical Countermeasures Research Program (CCRP) located at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The civilian chemical threat spectrum includes chemicals such as organophosphorus chemical warfare nerve agents, cyanide, sulfur mustard, and chlorine gas. The expertise is also critical for understanding the underlying injury processes resulting from chemical agents, including the toxicological effects of chemical compounds and their effects on various stages of human growth and development, including in utero, pediatric, and geriatric. The CCRP supports not only the discovery of novel compounds with requisite therapeutic activity and acceptable safety profiles but also research to expand the marketed indications of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapeutics for chemical defense purposes. The only FDA-approved therapy for the class of chemicals to date is dimercaprol.
