The project was a congressionally mandated study sponsored by the Department of Defense (DOD) to examine DOD's acquisition process for medical countermeasures against biological warfare agents. Among such products are vaccines, chemoprophylactic and chemotherapeutic agents, and antitoxins.

The committee explored the obstacles to research, development, and licensure of medical countermeasures and made recommendations for accelerating the availability of these products, while assuring their safety and efficacy.