IDSA Continues Promoting Emergency Preparedness Priorities

Congress is due to reauthorize the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) by Sept. 30. IDSA has been urging Congress since the start of the year to include in the bill robust funding levels for public health emergency preparedness efforts, a new incentive for antibiotic research and development, and loan repayment for ID physicians who serve in CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS).

Lead authors of the House PAHPA reauthorization bill, Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) released an early draft of their bill, and IDSA submitted these comments.  The bill includes new resources and authorities to expand the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) activities that support development of products to address pandemic influenza and emerging infectious diseases, both of which IDSA supports.  IDSA Research Committee Chair Upi Singh, MD, FIDSA also met personally with Rep. Eshoo, who expressed support for IDSA’s priorities on antimicrobial resistance and the public health workforce and is working to try to include them in the bill.  At a June 6 congressional hearing on PAHPA reauthorization, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) raised the importance of providing loan repayment to EIS officers, and multiple representatives discussed AMR and antibiotic R&D.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed its PAHPA reauthorization bill in May, which includes new resources and authorities for BARDA to undertake new strategic initiatives to address AMR, pandemic influenza and emerging infectious diseases.  While the bill does not currently include loan repayment for EIS officers, Senate staff are attempting to add that provision before the bill moves to the full Senate for a vote.