Trust for America's Health Initiatives

Bioterrorism and Public Health Preparedness

Bioterrorism and Public Health Preparedness

Health emergencies pose some of the greatest threats to our nation, because they can be difficult to prepare for, detect, and contain. Important progress has been made to improve emergency preparedness since September 11, 2001, the subsequent anthrax attack, and Hurricane Katrina; three events that put severe stress on our public health system. However, major problems still remain in our readiness to respond to large-scale emergencies and natural disasters. The country is still insufficiently prepared to protect people from disease outbreaks, natural disasters, or acts of bioterrorism, leaving Americans unnecessarily vulnerable to these threats.

TFAH publishes an annual report on public health preparedness called, Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters and Bioterrorism, which examines America's ability to respond to health threats and help identify areas of vulnerability. TFAH also offers a series of recommendations to further strengthen America's emergency preparedness.

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TFAH Reports

December 2008
Ready or Not? 2008
Protecting the Public's Health from Disease, Disasters, and Bioterrorism

October 2008
Blueprint for a Healthier America
Modernizing the Federal Public Health System to Focus on Prevention and Preparedness

March 2008
Ten Top Priorities for Prevention

December 2007
Ready or Not? 2007
Protecting the Public's Health from Disease, Disasters, and Bioterrorism

December 2006
Ready or Not? 2006
Protecting the Public's Health from Disease, Disasters, and Bioterrorism

More reports


Latest News

December 22, 2008
New Mexico gets 7 points on disaster readiness

December 19, 2008
Prepared for health crisis? We mostly are
Report does fault state for flu plan

December 19, 2008
State receives 7 of 10 points for emergency preparedness

December 19, 2008
High Marks for Hawaii in Emergency Preparedness

December 19, 2008
Hawaii receives 8 out of 10 for emergency preparedness

More public health news


Policy Information

September 2008
Working Group on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Letter Urges Congress to Fund Pandemic Preparedness and BARDA

July 2008
Letter in Support of the Public Health Emergency Response Act

More policy information


Press Releases

December 12, 2008
Trust for America's Health Applauds New IOM Report on Improving the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the 21st Century

December 9, 2008
Report Finds Economic Crisis Hurting U.S. Preparedness for Health Emergencies
More Than Half of States Score 7 or Lower Out of 10 in Readiness Rankings

October 21, 2008
Trust for America's Health Releases Blueprint for Modernizing Public Health for the Presidential Transition and Next Congress

October 16, 2008
Advisory: Trust for America's Health Releases Transition Document: Blueprint for a Healthier America
Includes Detailed Plan to Modernize America's Public Health System

September 10, 2008
On the Seventh Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks, Trust for America's Health Urges Real Homeland Security Reform

More press releases


Resources

Selected items from TFAH's Resource Library:

CDC on Emergency Preparedness and Response
U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention's site, intended to increase the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.

CDC on Public Health and Natural Disasters
U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention's site, intended to increase the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to disasters.

CDC on the Strategic National Stockpile
A CDC website offering background on the Strategic National Stockpile.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In 2008, CDC issued its first progress report on public health preparedness with state-by-state information.

Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.

More resources