July 21, 2022
Public Health/Prevention
  • The Biden administration is elevating the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Preparedness and Response to a stand-alone division. Last year, the Government Accountability Office released a report stating that HHS needed to establish clearer roles between the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The current ASPR, Dawn O’Connell, would run the new division. “This change allows ASPR to mobilize a coordinated national response more quickly and stably during future disasters and emergencies while equipping us with greater hiring and contracting capabilities,” O’Connell stated. (Articles here and here)