HHS News
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2001
|
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343 |
ADDITIONAL $1.5 BILLION PROPOSED TO COMBAT BIOTERRORISM
Emergency Request To Strengthen Nation’s Ability To Respond To Any Threat
President Bush’s $20 billion emergency relief budget request includes
$1.5 billion for HHS to further strengthen the nation’s ability to respond
to and treat potential bioterrorism attacks, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson
announced Wednesday.
The $1.5 billion emergency request is in addition to HHS’ regular
fiscal year 2002 budget request of $345 million for bioterrorism preparedne
ss and would allow HHS to greatly accelerate its efforts to deal with any
potential bioterrorism incident. The total request of $1.9 billion represents
more than a six-fold increase above the $297 million Congress appropriated in fiscal
year 2001 for HHS’ bioterrorism preparedness efforts.
"President Bush wants to make sure America's ability to deal with
bioterrorism is as strong as possible and he’s aggressively pursuing the
tools needed," Secretary Thompson said. "We’re currently responding
quickly and effectively to the biological events in our country, but this
comprehensive package will substantially strengthen our capabilities. In
particular, the package helps build the response capabilities of state and
local government as well as bolster our pharmaceutical stockpile."
The $1.5 billion emergency budget request will support efforts at the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and other HHS agencies, as well as state and local efforts. Key elements
include:
- Expanding the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile. The proposal
includes $643 million to expand this essential program that ensures speedy
distribution of antibiotics and other supplies in the event of a major incident.
It would ensure antibiotics are available to protect as many as 12 million
people from potential anthrax exposure, as well as increasing other stockpiles
of medical supplies at secure locations around the country. This funding
also would support state and local stockpiles and train state and local
experts in the use of stockpiled supplies if needed.
- Expanding smallpox vaccine supplies. The proposal includes $509 million
to speed the development and acquisition of smallpox vaccine in order to
reach any American potentially exposed to the virus in a potential bioterrorist
attack. Currently, more than 15 million doses of smallpox vaccine are available.
The additional funds will allow the department to stockpile as much vaccine
as needed to protect the nation in the event of an outbreak of smallpox.
- Speeding the development of new bioterrorism tools. The proposal
includes $34.6 million to expedite the work of the FDA on bioterrorism vaccines,
drug therapies, diagnostic tests and consultations with other agencies and
private industry.
- Increasing state and local readiness. The proposal includes $175 million
for state and local efforts related to bioterrorism readiness. Specifically, $50 million
will support increased capacity at the nation’s hospitals and other health
facilities in the event of any incident that could potentially lead to mass
casualties. Another $50 million will bolster the Metropolitan Medical Response
System, consisting of federally supported local preparedness efforts in 122
cities this fiscal year, to respond to bioterrorism, especially the public
health aspects; $10 million will support other local planning efforts; $40 million
will support early detection surveillance to identify potential bioterrorism
agents; $15 million will support increased capacity in up to an additional 45
state and local laboratories (for a total of 78); and $10 million will increase
the capacity for CDC and state and local laboratories to assess exposure to 150
hazardous chemical agents through blood and urine tests.
- Expanding HHS response capabilities. The proposal includes $88 million
to expand HHS’ capacity to respond to bioterrorism incidents, including $20 million
for the CDC’s Rapid Response and Advance Technology and specialty labs, which
provide quick identification of suspected agents and technical assistance to state
labs; and $20 million to support additional specialized expert epidemiology
teams to send to states and cities to rapidly respond to public health risks,
infectious diseases and other disaster-related needs, including Epidemic Intelligence
Officers specifically assigned to all 50 states. Other resources will increase
capacity in other HHS response programs; strengthen emergency communication
for federal, state and local governments during crisis situations; and improve
global surveillance of infectious diseases, focusing on potential terrorist
agents.
- Improving food safety. The proposal includes $61 million to allow
increased inspections of imported food products. The additional resources will
allow the FDA to hire 410 more inspectors, lab specialists and other compliance
experts, in addition to allowing the FDA to invest in new technology and scientific
equipment to detect select agents.
In addition to the $1.5 billion emergency bioterrorism proposal, the
administration has proposed an additional $84 million for other recovery and
non-bioterrorism efforts. This includes $20 million to replenish public health
resources in New York; $39 million to improve security at HHS laboratories (in
addition to $4.75 million announced Sept. 21 as a result of Congress’ earlier
emergency appropriation); $15 million for emergency-response equipment; and another
$10 million for social services activities (in addition to the $25 million released
in the first round of emergency funding).
"In recent weeks, we demonstrated that we can respond quickly and
effectively to contain a potential bioterrorism incident, but we also know
that we must quickly build on our progress in order to better protect Americans
in the future," Secretary Thompson said. "This emergency request
would accelerate our efforts to expand response capabilities nationally and
locally, and bolster our stockpiles of pharmaceuticals and other supplies
that may be needed following a major attack."
In a bioterrorism event, HHS has special responsibilities, including
detecting the disease, investigating the outbreak, and providing stockpiled
drugs and emergency supplies in the large amounts needed. In July, Secretary
Thompson named Scott Lillibridge, a physician who had coordinated the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention’s bioterrorism response efforts, as special
advisor to lead the department's coordinated bioterrorism initiative.
# # #
Note: Additional background is available at
www.hhs.gov. Click on "Biological
Incidents."
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