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Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response

The United States faces current and emerging public health threats from naturally-occurring diseases, the intentional release of hazardous biological agents, and other chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents.

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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leads federal efforts to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies related to the emergence or recurrence of viruses such as those that cause Zika, dengue fever, or influenza; the release of agents such as the bacteria that cause anthrax; and other CBRN agents. These public health threats have raised concerns that the nation remains vulnerable and must continue to prepare for and respond to such public health emergencies. HHS works with the Department of Homeland Security, and other federal, state, and local entities to respond to such threats. However, HHS can strengthen emergency preparedness and response by:

  • Improving planning for public health emergencies and coordination between federal departments and state and local entities involved in public health emergency response.
  • Ensuring that the nation's health care systems have "surge capacity"—the ability to respond to mass casualty events and adequately care for a sudden influx of patients with common or unusual medical needs.
  • Ensuring clear priorities are periodically reset and communicated for developing and acquiring medical countermeasures, such as drugs and vaccines, to respond to CBRN agents, emerging infectious diseases, and pandemic influenza.
  • Improving countermeasure development, such as establishing facilities to rapidly produce vaccines and countermeasures in an emergency; establishing the use of strategic investors to help fund development of new countermeasures; and improving regulatory requirements for their use.
Looking for our recommendations? Click on any report to find each associated recommendation and its current implementation status.
High-Containment Laboratories: Comprehensive and Up-to-Date Policies and Stronger Oversight Mechanisms Needed to Improve Safety
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-16-305

GAO-16-305: Published: Mar 21, 2016. Publicly Released: Apr 19, 2016.
Emerging Infectious Diseases: Preliminary Observations on the Zika Virus Outbreak
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-16-470T

GAO-16-470T: Published: Mar 2, 2016. Publicly Released: Mar 2, 2016.
Biological Defense: DOD Has Strengthened Coordination on Medical Countermeasures but Can Improve Its Process for Threat Prioritization
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-14-442

GAO-14-442: Published: May 15, 2014. Publicly Released: May 15, 2014.
National Preparedness: HHS Has Funded Flexible Manufacturing Activities for Medical Countermeasures, but It Is Too Soon to Assess Their Effect
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-14-329

GAO-14-329: Published: Mar 31, 2014. Publicly Released: Mar 31, 2014.
National Preparedness: HHS Is Monitoring the Progress of Its Medical Countermeasure Efforts but Has Not Provided Previously Recommended Spending Estimates
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-14-90

GAO-14-90: Published: Dec 27, 2013. Publicly Released: Dec 27, 2013.

More Reports

Federal Emergency Management Agency: Progress and Continuing Challenges in National Preparedness Efforts
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-16-560T

GAO-16-560T: Published: Apr 12, 2016. Publicly Released: Apr 12, 2016.
Emergency Preparedness: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Interagency Assessments and Accountability for Closing Capability Gaps [Reissued on December 9, 2015]
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-15-20

GAO-15-20: Published: Dec 4, 2014. Publicly Released: Dec 19, 2014.
National Preparedness: Actions Taken by FEMA to Implement Select Provisions of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-14-99R

GAO-14-99R: Published: Nov 26, 2013. Publicly Released: Nov 26, 2013.
National Preparedness: FEMA Has Made Progress, but Additional Steps Are Needed to Improve Grant Management and Assess Capabilities
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-13-637T

GAO-13-637T: Published: Jun 25, 2013. Publicly Released: Jun 25, 2013.
National Preparedness: Improvements Needed for Measuring Awardee Performance in Meeting Medical and Public Health Preparedness Goals
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-13-278

GAO-13-278: Published: Mar 22, 2013. Publicly Released: Mar 22, 2013.
National Preparedness: FEMA Has Made Progress in Improving Grant Management and Assessing Capabilities, but Challenges Remain
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-13-456T

GAO-13-456T: Published: Mar 19, 2013. Publicly Released: Mar 19, 2013.
Emergency Preparedness: NRC Needs to Better Understand Likely Public Response to Radiological Incidents at Nuclear Power Plants
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-13-243

GAO-13-243: Published: Mar 11, 2013. Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2013.
Influenza Pandemic: Agencies Report Progress in Plans to Protect Federal Workers but Oversight Could Be Improved
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-12-748

GAO-12-748: Published: Jul 25, 2012. Publicly Released: Aug 1, 2012.
Influenza Pandemic: Lessons from the H1N1 Pandemic Should Be Incorporated into Future Planning
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-11-632

GAO-11-632: Published: Jun 27, 2011. Publicly Released: Jun 27, 2011.
FEMA Has Made Limited Progress in Efforts to Develop and Implement a System to Assess National Preparedness Capabilities
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-11-51R

GAO-11-51R: Published: Oct 29, 2010. Publicly Released: Oct 29, 2010.
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