November 21, 2017

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security will host a pandemic tabletop exercise on May 15, 2018, in Washington, DC, to illustrate high-level strategic decisions and policies that the United States and the world will need to pursue in order to prevent a severe pandemic, or diminish its consequences should prevention fail. The day-long exercise, "Clade X," will simulate a series of National Security Council-convened meetings of 10 government leaders, played by prominent individuals who previously occupied senior leadership positions within the government.

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Public Health & Healthcare Preparedness
COMMENTARY
Government Must Take Action to Protect Americans from 21st Century Health Threats. Dr. Robert Kadlec (ASPR) and Dr. Rick Bright (BARDA) decribe how s ignificant progress has been made to build the right structure, partnerships, and products needed to save lives and protect Americans from many of these threats. Yet for all the ground that has been gained, more is needed to fully protect our country.  (The Hill, 11/20/17)
 
COMMENTARY
Progress and Opportunities for Strengthening Global Health Security. CDC researchers  summarize selected CDC contributions to enhancing global health security from 1980 through 2017 and describe how expanded efforts under GHSA have been built on a framework created by the long history of CDC for capacity building efforts in selected partner countries.  (Emerging Infectious Diseases, 11/20/17)
 
COMMENTARY
Ebola Response Impact on Public Health Programs, West Africa, 2014-2017. CDC researchers  describe capacity-building efforts during and after the Ebola epidemic in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea and public health progress that was made as a result of the Ebola response in 4 key areas: emergency response, laboratory capacity, surveillance, and workforce development.  (Emerging Infectious Diseases, 11/20/17)
 
NEWS
Congress Faces Growing Health Care Crisis in Puerto Rico. Hurricane Maria caused serious damage to Puerto Rico's health-care system, and none of the federal disaster relief money to date has been earmarked for the Medicaid program .  (The Hill, 11/19/17)
 
BLOG
ABCs of Viral Hepatitis.  The most common types of viral hepatitis are A, B and C. These three viruses affect millions of people worldwide, causing both short-term illness and long-term liver disease.  (CDC, 11/20/17)
 
REPORT
Progress in Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Control and Elimination - Worldwide, 2000-2016.  Rubella and CRS surveillance are necessary to assess disease burden before RCV introduction, to monitor disease burden and epidemiology after introduction, to identify pregnant women infected with rubella virus who require follow-up to assess pregnancy outcomes, and to identify, diagnose, and manage CRS-affected infants.  (CDC, 11/17/17)

See also: Rubella and CRS Elimination - A Race Worth Winning (CDC, 11/17/17)
 
NEWS
New Health and Human Services Secretary to Inherit Agency That Faces Criticism.  Alex Azar, the next head of the Department of Health and Human Services, will be handed an agency facing criticism from state officials and internal strife. HHS has been caught up in the fallout over the Republicans' failure to repeal the health law legislatively and an ethics scandal over government-funded travel that led to the resignation of Secretary Tom Price in September.  (Wall Street Journal, 11/17/17)
 
REPORT
Global Routine Vaccination Coverage, 2016.  CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) evaluated the WHO and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) global vaccination coverage estimates to describe changes in global and regional coverage as of 2016.  (CDC, 11/17/17)
 
NOTICE
Possession, Use, and Transfer of Select Agents and Toxins; Addition of Certain Influenza Virus Strains to the List of Select Agents and Toxins.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces the withdrawal of its 2015 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). The 2015 NPRM proposed to add certain influenza virus strains to the list of HHS select agents and toxins.  (Federal Register, 11/17/17)
 
NEWS
House Passes Fix to Defense Bill's Medical Approval Provision.  The Pentagon and its advocates in Congress have been frustrated by the FDA's slow approval of certain treatments they say could save lives on the battlefield. In particular, there has been a decade-long impasse between the Pentagon and the FDA over freeze-dried plasma, which the military says will help it save troops from bleeding out since it does not need refrigeration.  (The Hill, 11/17/17)
 
BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Office of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) Broad Agency Announcement.  The Office of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) solicits proposals for the advanced research and development of medical countermeasures (MCMs) for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents, pandemic influenza, and emerging infectious diseases that threaten the US civilian population. (Grants.gov, 11/16/17)
 
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
Input into USAID/OFDA's Infectious Disease (with Epidemic or Pandemic Potential) Standby Capacity for Humanitarian Emergency Annual Program Statement.  USAID/OFDA seeks to incorporate feedback from a wide range of sources in its planning process with the aim of addressing critical, multi-sectoral response actor capacity gaps for infectious diseases at the humanitarian emergency scale. To that end, USAID/OFDA requests input from all interested parties to provide experience and evidence-based suggestions.  (Grants.gov, 11/15/17)
 
PRESS RELEASE
CDC Encourages Safe Antibiotic Prescribing and Use.  November 13, 2017, kicked off U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week and World Antibiotic Awareness Week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes this week with an updated educational effort, Be Antibiotics Aware: Smart Use, Best Care, to support the nation's efforts to combat antibiotic resistance through improved use of these life-saving medications.  (CDC, 11/15/17)

See also: Antimicrobial Stewardship in Neonatal Intensive Care - the Oregon and Southwest Washington Collaboration (CDC, 11/17/17)
 
NEWS
Senators Ask USAID Watchdog to Examine Health Supply Chain Project.  Senators Bob Corker and Jeff Flake, both Republicans and chairs of the Committee on Foreign Relations and Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy respectively, outlined their "great concerns" about the performance of the "Global Health Supply Chain - Procurement Supply Management" project. They requested that the development watchdog initiate work on the supply chain project and report back to the Foreign Affairs committee with their findings.  (Devex, 11/15/17)
 
COMMENTARY
What Recent History has Taught Us About Responding to Emerging Infectious Disease Threats.  During each administration, the government faced unexpected pandemics, ranging from the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which began during the Reagan administration, to the recent Zika outbreak in the Americas, which started during the Obama administration. These experiences underscored the need to optimize preparation for and response to these threats whenever and wherever they emerge.  (Annals of Internal Medicine, 11/14/17)

See also: Three Decades of Responding to Infectious Disease Outbreaks (NIAID, 11/14/17)
 
ANNOUNCEMENT
FDA Launches Resistome Tracker, an Interactive Research and Data Visualization Tool for Antibiotic Resistance Genes.  Resistome Tracker is one of the first publicly available tools to provide visually informative displays of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria. It is designed mainly for public health officials, academics and researchers who are using new genomics technologies to track and treat infectious diseases.  (FDA, 11/14/17)
 
UPDATE
FDA Works to Help Relieve IV Fluid Shortages in Wake of Hurricane Maria.  Although Hurricane Maria affected Baxter's facilities in Puerto Rico, there have been limited supplies of IV fluids since 2014. Since that time, the approved manufacturers Pfizer/Hospira and now ICU Medical, Baxter and B. Braun, have worked with FDA to meet steadily increasing demand for IV fluids.  (FDA, 11/14/17)

See also:
REPORT
Department of Defense: Telehealth Use in Fiscal Year 2016.  DOD uses telecommunication technologies, such as two-way video visits between doctors and patients, to deliver health care across distances. This is called "telehealth," and it gives service members access to care in more locations and for a wider range of conditions.  (GAO, 11/14/17)
 
WEBINAR
The Changing Distribution of Ticks and Tick-borne Infections.  During this COCA call, clinicians will learn specific examples of changes in the distribution of ticks and tick-borne infections in North America and the recommended strategies to limit transmission and disease in the face of increasing risk. The call will take place on December 7, 2017, 2-3 PM EST.  (CDC, 11/13/17)
 
Homeland Security & Disaster Preparedness
PRESS RELEASE
Nature's Silent Sentinels Could Help Detect Security Threats.  DARPA's vision for the new Advanced Plant Technologies program is to harness plants' natural mechanisms for sensing and responding to environmental stimuli and extend them to detect the presence of certain chemicals, pathogens, radiation, and even electromagnetic signals.  (DARPA, 11/17/17)
 
NEWS
White House Requests More Disaster Aid but Also Seeks Cuts as Deficits Rise.  DARPA's vision for the new Advanced Plant Technologies program is to harness plants' natural mechanisms for sensing and responding to environmental stimuli and extend them to detect the presence of certain chemicals, pathogens, radiation, and even electromagnetic signals.  (New York Times, 11/17/17)
 
NEWS
Puerto Rican Officials Just Got Grilled By Congress Over The Whitefish Electricity Contract.  In the lead-up to two congressional hearings on Hurricane Maria disaster recovery efforts on Tuesday, documents from the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority show that officials within the agency had concerns over the Whitefish Energy rebuilding contract even as it was being advanced.  (BuzzFeed News, 11/14/17)
 
REPORT
21st Century Flood Reform Act (H.R. 2874): Reforming the National Flood Insurance Program.  Unless reauthorized or amended by Congress, the following will occur after December 8,
2017: (1) the authority to provide new flood insurance contracts will expire; (2) the authority for
the NFIP to borrow funds from the Treasury will be reduced from $30.425 billion to $1 billion;
and (3) the authorization of appropriations for the flood hazard mapping program will expire.  (Congressional Research Service, 11/13/17)
 
REPORT
Flood-Risk Reduction and Resilience: Federal Assistance and Programs.  This report provides an overview of federal flood assistance programs and the NFIP-related mitigation incentives; it also raises flood-related policy considerations associated with federal programs and practices.  (Congressional Research Service, 11/13/17)
 
Science & Technology Policy
NEWS
New Members Named to Serve on Health Information Technology Advisory Committee Established in 21st Century Cures Act.  The committee, created by the 21st Century Cures Act, is charged with making recommendations to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology relating to the implementation of national and local health information technology (health IT) infrastructure.  (Department of Health & Human Services, 11/17/17)
 
BLOG
Reflections from a Health IT Perspective on Disaster Response.  Today, virtually all hospitals use EHRs. The widespread adoption and use of these systems better equips the healthcare system to quickly respond to emergency events including mass shootings, hurricanes, and wildfires. We believe that we are better prepared today than when Hurricane Katrina struck.  (Health IT, 11/15/17)
 
PRESS RELEASE
STEM and the FBI: Recruiting the Best and the Brightest.  "The country's enemies, be they terrorists, computer hackers, spies, or financial fraudsters, are exploiting the newest technologies at every turn," said Special Agent Avatar Lefevre. "If the FBI doesn't recruit and train the best qualified people in the STEM fields, our adversaries will undoubtedly gain an advantage."  (FBI, 11/8/17)
 
This Week's Hearings
The Front Lines of the Opioid Crisis: Perspectives from States, Communities, and Providers. US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. 11/30/17, 10 AM. Dirksen 430.  More

Nomination of Alex Azar to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services. US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. 11/29/17, 9:30 AM. Dirksen 430.  More

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