they also have legitimate peaceful or defensive purposes, including the development of vaccines and medical therapies. Third, it is possible to rapidly eliminate biological agents, which makes short-notice inspections less effective in determining whether a facility produces biological weapons. For these reasons, Filippa Lentzos notes that "it is not possible to verify the BWC with the same level of accuracy and reliability as the verification of nuclear treaties". Financial health of the Convention BWC intersessional program meetings have recently been impeded by late payments and non-payments of financial contributions. BWC States Parties agreed at the Meeting of States Parties in 2018, which was cut short due to funding shortfalls, on a package of remedial financial measures including the establishment of a Working Capital Fund. This fund is financed by voluntary contributions and provides short-term financing in order to ensure the continuity of approved programs and activities. Live information on the financial status of the BWC and other disarmament conventions is available publicly on the financial dashboard of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. See also Biological weapons and warfare Australia Group of countries controlling exports to prevent the spread of biological and chemical weapons Biological weapons Biological warfare Biological terrorism Geneva Protocol, the first treaty to prohibit the use of biological and chemical weapons International pandemic treaty United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540, resolution to curb the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, particularly to non-state actors Treaties for other types of weapons of mass destruction Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) (states parties) Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) (states parties) Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) (states parties) Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) (states parties) References External links Official resources created by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Official website of the Biological Weapons Convention Full text of the Biological Weapons Convention, Treaty Database Brochure: The Biological Weapons Convention: An Introduction Meetings Place. A page with details on disarmament meetings, including documents and presentations. BWC Meeting of States Parties BWC Meetings of Experts Electronic Confidence-Building Measures facility Article X cooperation and assistance database External resources "Treaties and Regimes: The Biological Weapons Convention", Nuclear Threat Initiative "The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) at a Glance", Arms Control Association "The Historical Context of the Origins of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)", University College London "Understanding Biological Disarmament: Final Report" Arms control treaties Biological warfare Cold War treaties Human rights instruments Non-proliferation