Infectious disease society proposes 10 principles on outbreak response

The U.S. must strengthen vaccination efforts to protect citizens from seasonal influenza and flu pandemic outbreaks, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

The IDSA outlined 10 principles for preparedness during a Sept. 14 forum at the American Medical Association office in Washington. Public health officials have reviewed the 2009 H1N1 outbreak — during which 61 million cases were diagnosed and nearly 12,500 people died in the U.S. — and recommended changes to improve the national response.

For instance, the national health system must optimize coordination, planning and decision-making processes, the IDSA said. In 2009, the officials funding local health departments and centers to offer H1N1 vaccines and contain outbreaks took six months to move dollars from federal to community coffers, said Nicole Lurie, MD, a U.S. Public Health Service rear admiral and assistant secretary for preparedness and response.

Other principles include enhancing pharmaceutical availability and medical management of influenza, improving accuracy of diagnostic tools, and strengthening communication strategies. Protecting the health care work force also is critical for caring for the general population, and new strategies should be considered to encourage physicians and health professionals to be current on their own vaccinations, the society said.

Potential system reforms include enacting legislation to help prevent outbreaks from spreading. After the September 2001 terrorist attacks, the federal government looked at countermeasure stockpiles in the event of a bioweapons attack. The country was nowhere near where it needed to be, and Congress established funds to support a vaccine pipeline, said Rep. Mike Rogers (R, Mich.).

Rogers said development of vaccines is not an area where venture capitalists tend to flock, so the government has stepped in to fill the void. He compared funding for the national stockpile to funding for a fire department — no one wants to pay until the house is on fire.

“We are preparing for the worst and hoping and praying for the best,” Rogers said.

The House passed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2011 on Dec. 7, 2011. The legislation supports the manufacture of remedies for biological, chemical and nuclear attacks. The Senate has yet to act on the bill and has until the end of 2012 to reauthorize the original statute.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/09/24/gvbf0924.htm.