Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant

On a scale from one to doomsday, I think this idea ranks pretty much near the bottom of the pit. In fact, it is such a bad idea I can only assume it has already been implemented.
The AP via ABC News drew my attention to Senate Resolution S.1873, and its partner in the House HR.3970 which would create the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency (BARDA), an agency the bill claims will "prepare and strengthen the biodefenses of the United States against deliberate, accidental, and natural outbreaks of illness, and for other purposes. "

The plan would exempt the agency from any oversight of FOIA or of the Federal Advisory Committee acts, give private sector companies immunity for participation, and would allow the company to secretly dole out funding for "development of treatments and vaccines to protect the United States from natural pandemics as well as chemical, biological and radiological agents."

Or maybe they will do something else with the money. Who knows? You won't. Without FOIA and FACA, this is Big Pharma saying, "Sign this form waving your rights, and then give me your money and close your eyes."

Apparently, science now works best when it is done in secret and need not worry about accountability. Welcome to the age of Faith Based Advanced Biochemical Research.