Sebelius Announces Plan To Ensure U.S. Is Prepared For Health Emergencies

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently proposed a five-pronged approach for ensuring that the nation has the vaccines and other supplies it needs in the event of an emergency.

According to a Hill report, the overhaul prepares America for natural and man-made public health emergencies and, according to Sebelius, is a five-pronged approach in ensuring the country has access to adequate vaccines and supplies in the event of a nationwide pandemic. 

The new plan calls for: 

- making a “significant investment” in the Food and Drug Administration so federal regulators can more quickly review — and approve — new discoveries;

- establishing “Centers of Innovation for Advanced Development and Manufacturing” that would create “manufacturing platforms” to help innovators produce their medications or vaccines;

- helping young companies get their product to market, in particular by creating “sherpa teams” at the National Institutes of Health to “identify promising research and facilitate its translation into vaccines, drugs and treatments that keep Americans safe”;

- upgrading flu vaccine manufacturing; 

- and creating a strategic investment fund that would help small companies attract investors.

The new plan is set to be coupled with the current BioShield program in an effort to reach out to smaller, developing businesses innovating new vaccines.