May 14 2019


Texas A&M, Scowcroft Institute Share Pandemic Policy Recommendations With U.S. Officials



A white paper presented in Washington, D.C. today at the 3rd Annual Pandemic & Biosecurity Forum outlines strategies to improve pandemic and biosecurity preparedness and response in the face of infectious diseases.


Key recommendations from the report include:

Designate senior-level White House leadership for pandemic response and pandemic preparedness

Donor and host nations must continue investments in health systems strengthening at the community level with specific attention to Global Health Security Agenda related priorities

Host nations must reinforce and rethink the critical role of community health workers, religious leadership, and cultural factors in epidemic response

Building trust between stakeholders of pandemic preparedness and response is crucial

Place more value on applied interdisciplinary work within university reward structures

Require strong national surveillance systems that help detect and monitor trends and risk factors for antimicrobial resistance; and

Multi-sector coordination and whole-of-government planning, aimed at building resilient health systems guided by the “One Health” approach, can advance efforts to integrate human, animal, and environmental sectors in pandemic preparedness.

[link to today.tamu.edu (secure)]