Bioterrorism: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Role in Public Heath Protection

• NCJ Number: 192111
• Author(s): Janet Heinrich
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: US Government Accountability Office
• Sale Source: US Government Accountability Office; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded December 17, 2001

Annotation

This paper presents testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on the activities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prepare the nation to respond to the public health and medical consequences of a bioterrorist attack.

Abstract

On September 28, 2001, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a report that described: (1) the research and preparedness activities being undertaken by Federal departments and agencies to manage the consequences of a bioterrorist attack, (2) the coordination of these activities, and (3) the findings of reports on the preparedness of State and local jurisdictions to respond to a bioterrorist attack. This testimony summarizes the findings in the September report regarding CDC’s research and preparedness activities on bioterrorism and augments previous work on combating terrorism. Specifically, the testimony focuses on CDC’s research and preparedness activities on bioterrorism, and remaining gaps that could hamper the response to a bioterrorist event. The CDC has a variety of ongoing research and preparedness activities related to bioterrorism. Most of CDC’s activities to counter bioterrorism are focused on building and expanding public health infrastructure at the Federal, State, and local levels. These include funding research on anthrax and smallpox vaccines, increasing laboratory capacity, and building a national pharmaceutical stockpile of drugs and supplies to be used in an emergency. Since CDC’s bioterrorism program began in 1999, funding has increased 43 percent in fiscal year 2000 and an additional 12 percent in fiscal year 2001. While the percentage increases are substantial, they reflect only a $73 million increase in overall spending because many of the activities initially received small allocations. Gaps in CDC’s activities could hamper the response to a bioterrorist attack. For instance, laboratories at all levels can quickly become overwhelmed with requests for tests. In addition, there is a notable lack of training focused on detecting and responding to bioterrorist threats.