In 2019, the Global Health Security Index rated the US as the country best prepared to face a pandemic in the world. But just months later, as the US struggled to contain a novel coronavirus, government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) drew criticism with high-profile fumbles, including sending out contaminated tests for the virus. Now, as first reported by The Washington Post, President Joe Biden’s administration aims to improve the government response to pandemics and other health emergencies by handing additional responsibilities to a team within the Department of Health and Human Services called the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The move will elevate ASPR to the division level, on par with agencies such as the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
ASPR, which has about 1,000 staff members, already oversees some aspects of pandemic response, such ...
