By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    physical health
    5 Ways Playing Games Can Improve Neural and Physical Health
    September 9, 2022
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    February 16, 2022
    healthcare organization
    5 Actionable Strategies For Healthcare Organizations
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
    September 10, 2025
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    5 Basic Types Of Eye Tests That Are Part Of An Eye Exam
    September 24, 2018
    Knowledge About Malpractice Lawsuits Can Give You Some Peace | Healthcare Career Resources
    Knowledge About Malpractice Lawsuits Can Give You Some Peace
    September 18, 2020
    How Your Job Can Impact Your Health
    December 11, 2018
    Latest News
    Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
    September 9, 2025
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Contagion: Help Congress Protect the CDC’s Outbreak Investigation Budget
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Global Healthcare > Contagion: Help Congress Protect the CDC’s Outbreak Investigation Budget
Global HealthcarePublic Health

Contagion: Help Congress Protect the CDC’s Outbreak Investigation Budget

Amanda Glassman
Amanda Glassman
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

 

This is a joint post with Kate McQueston.

Coming your way in September, Contagion is a star-filled movie about a global bird flu outbreak complete with scary music, frequent deaths, and breakdown of public order… the usual fare.

 

More Read

PFCD 2011 Year in Review & Looking Ahead to 2012
USPSTF Recommends Annual Lung Screening for High-Risk Adults
National Preparedness for Catastrophic Events
Pain Management and Telemedicine
Better Late Than Never: China Adopts Its First Mental Health Law

This is a joint post with Kate McQueston.

Coming your way in September, Contagion is a star-filled movie about a global bird flu outbreak complete with scary music, frequent deaths, and breakdown of public order… the usual fare.

But dramatic soundtracks aside, there are good scientific and security reasons to fear novel viruses like H5N1 and an uncoordinated, fragmented and ineffectual response. A 2010 study examining the initial response of health care institutions found that over half of hospitals included in the study neglected important infection prevention measures during the crisis. The New England Journal of Medicine cites that one month following the release of the H1N1 vaccine only 7 percent of high-priority adults had been vaccinated. According to the same study, nine months following the pandemic, 39 percent of survey respondents said the government response was fair or poor— with 54 percent of respondents stating that the federal government was doing a poor or very poor job of providing the country with adequate vaccine supplies.

In response to these kinds of concerns, the U.S. Government recently released a low-profile but extraordinarily important policy document entitled: Promoting Global Health Security: Guidance and Principles for U.S. Government Departments and Agencies to Strengthen International Health Regulation Core Capacities Internationally.

While lacking a decent title, this document is the first National Security Council document to acknowledge that the U.S. apparatus to respond to a public health emergency of international concern is fragmented, split among many agencies and lacking key capacities. The document offers guidance on how the US can best implement revised international health regulations in key areas including human resources, surveillance, laboratory strengthening, and outbreak response. It also defines areas where the US could scale up its core capacities efficiently and effectively.  But all this may not be as simple as it seems. For example, the goal of maintaining one trained field epidemiologist for every 200,000 people is vastly complicated by the fact that this responsibility is spread across the Field Epidemiology Training Program (CDC), the Biosecurity Engagement Program (DOS), Global Disease Detection Program (CDC), Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (DOD), Emerging Pandemic Threats Program (USAID), and the Cooperative Biological Engagement Program (DOD).  No wonder the response to H1N1 was fragmented.

The fact that the USG is working to scale up and better coordinate their response to global public health emergencies is great news. But guess what? They can’t do it with less funding. The already extremely cheap CDC program to investigate and track novel disease outbreaks ($37.8 million in 2010) has been cut by almost 10 million in the Administration’s pre-debt crisis 2012 budget proposal. Currently just one million is budgeted for the program’s Operations Center which sends deployments to investigate novel diseases—the kind that translate so well to the silver screen.  Maybe what is actually frightening is that the money we spend on investigating these new diseases is less than two percent of the 60 million dollar production costs of the Hollywood blockbuster . Who knows what will happen now?

So I’m glad Contagion is around and that it’s scary and sensational. The movie’s release is beautifully timed to coincide with the budget process – I hope there’s a free screening on the Hill and that Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow do some lobbying around it.

But in the meantime, don’t forget to wash your hands.

TAGGED:bird fluemergency reponse
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Amanda Glassman
As a healthcare blogger and author, I have been writing about the latest developments in the medical field for over 10 years. My work has been featured on various online publications, including Healthline and WebMD. I am passionate about educating people on how to stay healthy through proper nutrition and exercise practices. In addition to my blog posts, I have also authored several books that focus on health topics such as dieting tips, disease prevention strategies, and mental health awareness initiatives. My goal is to provide readers with reliable information so they can make informed decisions regarding their well-being.

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

The Nursing Shortage Myth

January 15, 2013

TV Anchorpeople and Illness: Lessons Learned

September 29, 2012

Californians’ Attitudes and Experiences with Death and Dying

February 16, 2012

Good Flavors and Obesity

December 2, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?