Health Policy Bills – PREVENT Pandemics Act 2022

Health Policy Bills – PREVENT Pandemics Act 2022

One of the health policies that have been passed in the last two years includes the S. 3799: PREVENT Pandemics Act, which was introduced on March 10, 2022 (Adashi, O’Mahony & Cohen, 2022). The bill sponsor is Senior Senator for Washington, Patty Murray, a Democrat, while the original co-sponsor is Burr Richard, a Republican. The Prevent Pandemics Act is a bill to prepare for, and respond to, existing viruses, emerging new threats, and pandemics. This bill sets out programs and activities to address public health preparedness and response. Specifically, the bill establishes a legislative task force to investigate the COVID-19 pandemic and a White House office to advise on pandemic preparedness and response. It also revises authorities, programs, and other aspects of the Department of Health and Human Services and associated agencies to support preparedness and response activities at all levels of government.

The bill also discusses workforce development programs for public health and related fields, grants related to health disparities and for centres for public health preparedness, the collection and dissemination of public health data such as pathogen genomic sequencing, the availability and safety of the blood supply, research on viruses and other pathogens with pandemic potential, vaccines and other medical countermeasures, and the long-term health effects. The bill also addresses the management of the Strategic National Stockpile, domestic production of medical countermeasures, national security, privacy and information security, and foreign interference in biomedical research. Biosafety and security related to biological agents and toxins are also covered. The bill also modifies the regulation of medical products with a particular focus on expediting the development and approval of medical countermeasures. Additional focus areas include strengthening medical product supply chains and supporting innovation in, for example, clinical trial designs.

References

Adashi, E. Y., O’Mahony, D. P., & Cohen, I. G. (2022). The PREVENT Pandemics Act: A National Road Map. American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

GovTrack.us. (2022). S. 3799 — 117th Congress: PREVENT Pandemics Act. Retrieved from https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/s3799