2017-2018 PHEMCE Strategy and Implementation Plan

Today, the threats facing our country are increasingly diverse and more lethal. A failure to anticipate these threats – or the lack of capacity to respond effectively to them – could result in substantial illness and death. The United States must have the nimble, flexible capability to produce, and effectively use medical countermeasures (MCM) in the face of any attack or threat, whether known or unknown, novel or reemerging, natural or intentional.

Cover of the 2017 HHS Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) Strategy and Implementation Plan

Under the leadership of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) leads federal agencies in charge of protecting the civilian population from potential adverse health impacts of these threats through the use of MCMs. These MCMs include medicines, devices, or other medical interventions that can lessen the harmful effects of from the unintentional release or deliberate use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents, as well as naturally occurring emerging infectious diseases, including pandemic influenza.

To ensure that our priorities reflect current nationa security concerns, scientific progress and fiscal capabilities, the PHEMCE annually assesses and updates a PHEMCE Strategy Plan (SIP) to ensure optimal allocation of resources to address high-priority threats. As required by section 2811(d) of the Public Health Service Act, amended by

section 102 of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act, a PHEMCE SIP is released annually. The 2017-2018 PHEMCE SIP updates the 2016 PHEMCE SIP and provides the blueprint for the PHEMCE to enhance national health security through the development, procurement and planning for effective use of critical MCMs.

The 2017-2018 PHEMCE SIP reflects HHS’s continued commitment, in collaboration with its interagency PHEMCE partners, to provide the nation with a nimble, flexible capacity to rapidly produce and effectively use medical countermeasures in the face of any attack or novel threat. The 2017-2018 PHEMCE SIP highlights recent accomplishments and identifies priority activities the PHEMCE will implement to advance the nations MCM preparedness and capability.

Information in the 2017-2018 PHEMCE SIP includes:

Summary of major accomplishments since the 2016 PHEMCE SIP
Updates to the PHEMCE High-Priority Threat List
Activities being pursued by the PHEMCE agencies
PHEMCE interactions with non-federal stakeholders
Progress in addressing the MCM needs of at-risk populations
A summary of FY 2016 advanced research and development and procurement awards
Information regarding the use of funds and authorities originally authorized and provided by the Project BioShield Act of 2004