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
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 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
    Cash Transfers: Good for HIV/AIDS Too
    August 9, 2012
    unnecessary medical tests
    Eagerly Awaiting the Death of Defensive Medicine
    September 5, 2013
    Image
    Mobile Health Around the Globe – mHealth Fighting Malnutrition in India
    December 17, 2012
    Latest News
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 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

An Indian Hospital on the Fast Track
Mobile Health Around the Globe – mHealth Fighting Malnutrition in India
How Technology Can Help Transition Patients From Hospital to Home
BioPharma Beat: mHealth Apps – to Regulate or Not to Regulate
Tobacco Control Policies; Scaling Up Incentives

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

9 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Add Years to Your Life
9 Healthcare Lifestyle Tweaks That can Add Years to Your Life
lifestyle
July 11, 2025
car accident lawsuit
Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
Policy & Law
July 6, 2025
women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025

You Might also Like

Overtreatment Alert! Antibiotics Fuel Medical Overutilization

September 5, 2011

The PCMH and Home Care Data: An Interview with Melissa McCormack

December 19, 2013
Health carePolicy & LawPublic Health

Why Universal Healthcare is the Key to a Healthier and More Productive Society

August 23, 2017
healthcare reform
BusinessFinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationPolicy & LawPublic Health

Trend Watch: Obamacare Challenging Community Hospitals

May 16, 2013
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?