STRATEGIC PLAN - ASPE - U.S. Department of Health and Human ...

CHAPTER 3: Public Health Promotion and Protection, Disease Prevention,and Emergency Preparednessstorage, deployment, and utilization of medicalcountermeasures. NIH leads the effort for medicalcountermeasure basic research, early stage productdevelopment, and clinical research. FDA is committedto facilitating the development and availability of safeand effective medical countermeasures. CDC hasresponsibilities including disease monitoring throughits infectious disease surveillance program and medicalcountermeasure storage and deployment throughits Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) program. TheSNS procures and stores large quantities of medicineand medical supplies to protect the Americanpublic if there is an emergency (e.g., terrorist attack,influenza pandemic, or earthquake) severe enoughto cause local supplies to run out. HHS will continueto invest in research and development of medicalcountermeasures, procure safe and effective materialsfor the SNS, and work with States to ensure thatthey are prepared to request, receive, and utilize SNSmaterials in the case of a public health emergency.Pandemic InfluenzaHHS pandemic influenza implementation activitiessupport the larger National Strategy for PandemicInfluenza, and many are conducted in concert with orin support of other Federal departments and agencies.The key strategies for pandemic influenza preparednessfocus on international activities; domestic surveillance;public health interventions; medical response; vaccines,antivirals, diagnostics, and personal protective equipment;passive and active surveillance for vaccine safety;communication; and support for State, local, and tribalpreparedness. HHS, primarily through ASPR, CDC, FDA,NIH, and OPHS, will continue to support the NationalStrategy by completing actions in these strategy areas.One major area of focus will be building the prepandemicand pandemic influenza vaccine production capacity andvaccine supply. In April 2007, FDA approved the first U.S.vaccine for humans against the H5N1 influenza virus. FDAwill continue to facilitate advanced product developmentof both seasonal and pandemic influenza medicalcountermeasures, including novel vaccines, antivirals,and rapid diagnostics. This will be accomplished byproviding assistance to industry partners on domesticmanufacturing capabilities, accelerating the reviews ofseasonal and pandemic influenza related products, andissuing guidance to external stakeholders on variousregulatory subjects, including clinical requirements forlicensure of seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines.HHS agencies also will work closely with other Federalagencies and international partners, such as WHO and theministries of health in target countries. HHS has forwarddeployeda quantity of Tamiflu in Asia for the purposesof mounting a containment operation to attempt tohalt a potential influenza pandemic. In addition, HHSis engaged in a number of international pandemicpreparedness activities, through the InternationalPartnerships on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, the Securityand Prosperity Partnership of North America, and theGlobal Health Security Initiative.People With DisabilitiesUnder Executive Order 13347, all Federal emergencypreparedness efforts must address the needs ofindividuals with disabilities and other vulnerablepopulations. HHS has taken a leadership role inengaging the disability community and providingguidance to partners to address the unique healthneeds of individuals with disabilities and othervulnerable populations, including children and youthwith special health care needs. In 2006, HHS and theU.S. Department of Homeland Security cosponsored aworking conference for State emergency preparedness,public health, aging, and disability agencies to facilitatedialog and collaboration among these organizationstoward the common goal embodied in the ExecutiveOrder. The result has been a living laboratory for Stateand Federal cooperation and shared learning aroundthe issue of emergency preparedness for vulnerablepopulations. OD and ASPR will implement andmonitor the use of the disability-based preparednesstoolkit and public health staff training modules—developed by a broad-based HHS workgroup—toensure that the needs of children, youth, and adultswith disabilities and chronic conditions are fullyunderstood by first responders and other emergencyresponse providers at the Federal, tribal, State, andlocal levels during all emergency situations.78 HHS Strategic Plan FY 2007-2012