Policy Revisions Recommended for Combating H1N1 and Beyond

May 15, 2009 - PRLog -- The George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute and the GW School of Public Health and Health Services hosted experts who examined the response to the current H1N1 outbreak, and assessed domestic and international preparedness for the future. The experts who participated in the discussion included Paul Jarris, MD, MBA, Executive Director, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; Robert Kadlec, MD, Former Special Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Senior Director for Biological Defense Policy; Jeffrey Levi, PhD, Executive Director of Trust for America's Health, and Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services; and Maj. Gen. Philip Russell, MD (USA, Ret.), Former Senior Advisor, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Department of Health and Human Services.

Each expert brought their unique experience and insights to bear on the current situation, and sparked a spirited dialogue on next steps.  Collectively, the experts assessed the response of the Federal government, and highlighted the extensive logistical challenges of dealing effectively with an influenza pandemic.

Dr. Jarris outlined the need to address issues related to vulnerable populations, including the uninsured and undocumented individuals living in the U.S. He noted that these individuals pose a significant threat to society in an outbreak, because they don’t have access to medical care. As a result, they don’t get the medical care or advice needed to contain the virus and they continue to go to work and conduct regular day-to-day activities. By continuing to expose others to the virus, they contribute to the spread of the virus. Without policies in place that protect these people from losing their jobs during an outbreak, the virus will continue to spread. He recommended that both state and federal policy be adopted to protect this vulnerable group to ensure they have access to the medical care needed in an outbreak situation.

Another point of view that was stressed during the event is that policy without resources is simply rhetoric. Dr. Robert Kadlec explained the great need for additional resources to be allocated to handle a large-scale influenza outbreak. “Governments need to have the ability to be agile and provide real-time thinking when an outbreak occurs,” he said. According to Kadlec, there is no way to predict exactly what will happen, however, it is important to ensure that we can continue to sustain our economy and support the continued operation of critical infrastructure during a pandemic.

Dr. Jeffrey Levi agreed with Kadlec and explained that the country’s pandemic posture needs to be fundamentally revisited, and, in addition to policies on the Federal level, both social and economic health programs are essential in a sustained crisis of a larger scale. An example that Levi cited in his remarks included the scenario of schools closing, and the children who depend on the school meals program having no way of getting breakfast or lunch and essentially, going without food. Furthermore, from a social standpoint, it is important that policies are in place to enable people to feel comfortable to come forward to receive anti-viral medications. Levi noted that the current H1N1 situation was a good test of the public health system in America, however, he believes that fundamental changes are needed and a public health emergency response act is necessary.

Lastly, Maj. Gen. Philip Russell outlined several of the outbreak scenarios of the past and indicated that identifying the source of these outbreaks is nearly impossible. He stressed the importance of vaccinating for influenza and agreed that making a vaccine program a priority is crucial. He also noted that the execution of vaccine policy will ultimately be the challenge.

Frank Cilluffo, Director, Homeland Security Policy Institute and moderator of the panel, added that it is important for the CDC and other health officials to be on the same page as homeland security officials to ensure communication and action works effectively.

Pressing policy issues were highlighted and the panelists identified lessons learned and made recommendations on what needs to be changed to ensure that the level of preparedness for the future is enhanced.

A webcast of the forum is available for viewing on the Homeland Security Policy Institute’s Web site at: http://www.gwumc.edu/hspi/PanFluEvent.html

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Founded in 2003, The George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) is a nonpartisan “think and do” tank whose mission is to build bridges between theory and practice to advance homeland security through an interdisciplinary approach. By convening domestic and international policymakers and practitioners at all levels of government, the private and non-profit sectors, and academia, HSPI creates innovative strategies and solutions to current and future threats to the nation. For additional information about HSPI, please visit http://homelandsecurity.gwu.edu