# 6556
This morning the IDSA (Infectious Disease Society of America) and the AMA held a 2-hour webinar as part of the launch of an updated set of IDSA guidelines designed to educate federal policymakers on the issues of Pandemic and Seasonal Flu preparedness.
You’ll find a summary of their recommendations, and the link to download the 24-page PDF file at IDSA webpage below:
Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza
IDSA has published (September 2012) an updated set of Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza Principles for United States Action to educate federal policymakers about how best to prepare for and respond to seasonal and pandemic influenza.
IDSA's first set of principles was issued in 2007 (see previous version here). IDSA's updated principles rely upon the experience of the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and are intended to assist the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and other agency officials as they establish priorities for implementation of the reauthorized Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).
What Action Does IDSA Recommend?
IDSA strongly believes that much work remains ahead of us, and overall responses to seasonal influenza and pandemic preparedness must be closely interrelated. The Society calls for:
- coordination between HHS and other U.S. government departments, as well as a need for better coordination within HHS, particularly concerning influenza vaccine efforts
- establishing processes for continual review of critical and rapidly evolving components of influenza preparedness, such as the contents of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)
- vigorously supporting the uptake of the annual influenza vaccine by health care workers including through the adoption of a mandatory approach (see IDSA's revised policy statement (PDF) for details)
- significant and sustainable multi-year funding that may be used flexibly particularly by local health departments for "All-Hazards" preparedness
While many items were discussed during today’s webinar, the take-away message is that while much progress has been made in recent years, the United States remains vulnerable to many pandemic and other biological threats.
Influenza is by far the best known threat, but isn’t the only pandemic possibility.
The IDSA Guideline, in its conclusion, sums it up this way:
Influenza remains among the greatest infectious disease threats to our nation and the global community. Despite the investments and progress made in research and preparedness over the past decade, substantial gaps remain. The next influenza pandemic is inevitable, only the timing, severity, and point of origin remain unknown. We cannot be complacent. We cannot afford to be penny-wise and pound-foolish, eroding the progress made and leaving our nation and the world vulnerable. We must be prepared.
