BiothreatsCongress passes legislation authorizing critical biodefense programs

Last week the House passed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act. The bill reauthorizes existing statute governing public health efforts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Additions made by the bill – some of which were recommended by the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense – address biodetection, hospital preparedness, medical countermeasures and response. Many of these programs will enable HHS to better defend the nation against biological threats. Both chambers of Congress have passed the bill, and it will now go to President Trump for signature.

“Naturally occurring diseases and biological weapons continue to endanger our nation,” said Governor Tom Ridge, Panel Co-Chair. “The Panel is pleased to see that Congress addressed 15 of our recommendations in this legislation, which will help the nation better prepare for, detect, respond to, and recover from large-scale biological events, bioterrorism or other biological events.”

“The passage of this broad legislation builds on important progress Congress has been making in addressing concerns detailed in our initial Blueprint,” added Panel Co-Chair, former Senator Joe Lieberman. “Along with the inclusion of three Panel recommendations in last year’s Farm Bill, Congress is demonstrating just how seriously it takes the biological threat and the recommendations that could help the public if a large scale outbreak occurs.”

Among other important directives, the bill directs HHS to:

·  Establish guidelines (with a corresponding pilot project) for regional systems of hospitals and health care facilities, as addressed in Recommendation 21 from the Panel’s 2015 National Blueprint for Biodefense;

·  Develop a national strategy to address cyber threats to public health security, as addressed in Recommendation 24 from the Panel’s National Blueprint for Biodefense;

·  Work with the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security to report on biological detection technology and information sharing, as addressed in Recommendation 31 from the Panel’s National Blueprint for Biodefense;

·  Streamline and further promote the use of flexible contracting authorities by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, as addressed in Recommendation 29 from the Panel’s National Blueprint for Biodefense; and

·  Update the Public Health Emergency Fund by clarifying the categories of activities that can be supported by the Fund, as recommended in the Panel’s 2018 Holding the Line on Biodefense report.