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National Security Subcommittee Examines U.S. Preparedness for Biological Attacks and Infectious Disease Pandemics
June 27, 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on National Security held a hearing yesterday on “U.S. Biodefense, Preparedness, and Implications of Antimicrobial Resistance for National Security.”
CIMAR Director Helen Boucher, M.D., and three other experts testified at the hearing to help the Subcommittee examine the readiness of the U.S. government and healthcare system, including hospitals and emergency professionals, to respond to naturally-occurring pandemics and biological attacks that could be perpetrated by state and non-state actors
In addition to Dr. Boucher, the Subcommittee heard testimony from Dr. Asha George (Executive Director, Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense), Chris Currie (Director, Emergency Management, Disaster Recovery, and DHS Management Issues, Homeland Security and Justice Team, U.S. Government Accountability Office), and Dr. Cham E. Dallas (University Professor and Director, Institute for Disaster Management, University of Georgia).
The Subcommittee will stay in touch with all who testified as they investigate the growing threat of antimicrobial-resistance, as well as the implications of this challenge for U.S. national security. You can watch the full hearing below:
We need to change the reimbursement system for antibiotic developers. We need them to be successful even if sales are limited as long as there is an uncovered need. https://t.co/6rNGHvBYH7
#COVID patients are receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics to fight off secondary infections. Although important, they're making an existing problem worse: #AMR. We need to develop new antibiotics urgently or risk an even deadlier fight against #superbugs.
https://t.co/NYQpOWVObt