The BioCheck® Powdered Screening Test Kit, a product of 20/20 BioResponse, a business unit of 20/20 GeneSystems, Inc. has earned designation as a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s SAFETY Act . The SAFETY (Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies) Act encourages the development and rapid deployment of anti-terrorism technologies by giving buyers and sellers of qualified technologies liability protection from lawsuits. This effectively protects 20/20, as well as its customers and resellers, from the consequences of litigation arising from the use of the designated product in a terrorist incident.
“This designation is an important milestone for our company and our BioCheck® customers,†said Jerry Troy, Vice President of 20/20 BioResponse. “In addition to validating the safety and efficacy of the product, based on an extensive DHS review that spanned several months, it helps guard our customers and distributors against lawsuits that could follow an act of bioterrorism.â€Â
The BioCheck® Kit is a market leader in the screening of suspicious powders and is used by more than 500 first responder organizations worldwide. Users include fire departments in major jurisdictions and more than a dozen U.S. federal agencies. The kit provides a rapid screen to rule out the presence of multiple bioterrorism agents (e.g. anthrax, ricin, botulism toxin) in suspicious powders. The product requires no instrumentation and helps first responders determine in five minutes or less whether testing for one or more specific pathogens or toxins is warranted. The novel technology in the BioCheck Kit is protected by two U.S. patents