FY 2023 Annual Performance Plan and Report - Strategic Goal 2: Objective 2.1

Fiscal Year 2023
Released March, 2022

Topics on this page: Objective 2.1: Improve capabilities to predict, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies, disasters, and threats across the nation and globe | Objective 2.1 Table of Related Performance Measures

Objective 2.1: Improve capabilities to predict, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies, disasters, and threats across the nation and globe

HHS invests in strategies to predict, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies, disasters, and threats.  HHS leverages opportunities to improve collaboration and coordination, to build capacity and foster readiness for effective emergency and disaster response.  HHS advances comprehensive planning for mitigation and response.  HHS also applies knowledge gained from the effective and efficient use and application of technology, data, and research to improve preparedness and health and human services outcomes during emergencies and disasters.

The Office of the Secretary leads this objective.  The following divisions are responsible for implementing programs under this strategic objective: ACF, ACL, ASPE, ASPR, ATSDR, CDC, CMS, FDA, HRSA, IHS, NIH, OASH, OCR, OGA, and ONC.  The narrative below provides a brief summary of any past work towards these objectives and strategies planned to improve or maintain performance on these objectives.

Objective 2.1 Table of Related Performance Measures

Within ASPR, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) program invests in the innovation, advanced research and development, acquisition, and manufacturing of medical countermeasures (MCMs) – including the vaccines, drugs, therapeutics, diagnostic tools, and non-pharmaceutical products needed to combat health security threats.  The data informs the public about BARDA’s capacity to provide an integrated, systematic approach to developing MCMs for public health medical emergencies such as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) accidents, incidents and attacks, pandemic influenza, and emerging infectious diseases.  The targets for this measure were met or exceeded each year.  The data sources are stable with no gaps or delays in reporting.  The data reported reflect ASPR’s efforts to save lives and protect Americans from 21st century health security threats.  Together with industry partners, BARDA’s support spans early development into advanced development and FDA approval.  As of December 2021, BARDA-supported products have achieved 61 FDA approvals, licensures, or clearances.  ASPR also oversees the procurement of MCMs for storage in the Strategic National Stockpile to ensure their availability during a public health emergency. 

International Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETP) are recognized worldwideTraicoff D et al.  2015.  Strong and flexible: Developing a three-tiered curriculum for the Regional Central America Field Epidemiology Training Program.  Pedagogy in Health Promotion 1(2): 74–82.  http://php.sagepub.com/content/1/2/74.full.pdf+html. as an effective means to strengthen countries’ capacity in surveillance, epidemiology, and outbreak response.  These graduates strengthen public health capacity so individual countries are able to transition from U.S.-led global health investments to more long-term host country ownership.  Frontline is a three-month program that aims to increase the number of capable public health workers in a community setting.  This program is part of three tiers in the FETP program which all help countries meet International Health Regulation guidelines.  In FY 2020, there were 12,534 Frontline program graduates, an increase over FY 2019 and exceeding the FY 2020 target.  By tracking the number of people who graduate from FETP – including the Frontline program every year, CDC can better gauge its impact on developing other countries’ abilities to prevent, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks.

NIH is aiming to accelerate the innovation of new technologies using a design, build, test and deploy approach to improve future pandemic preparedness and surveillance.  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NIH launched the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx®) initiative to speed up innovation in the development and deployment of COVID-19 testing approaches and strategies.  RADx Tech, a component of RADx, focuses on speeding up the development, validation, and commercialization of innovative diagnostic tests, including home, point-of-care, and laboratory-based tests.  NIH is building on the research mechanisms used and lessons learned through the RADx® Tech program to help guide and inform approaches and specific capabilities needed for surveillance and preparedness over the next five years and to move innovative and needed technologies to market.  RADx Tech’s success was achieved by facilitating partnerships across the federal government, industry, and academia and drawing on expertise from technology innovators, clinical testing, regulatory affairs, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.  This approach resulted in many new home-based and point-of-care tests available for purchase under FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization within eight months, an unprecedented speed.  In FY 2022, NIH is working to receive FDA authorization for marketability for three home, point-of-care, or laboratory-based diagnostics.  In FY 2023, NIH aims to receive this FDA authorization for two diagnostics.

The development of antiviral drugs to combat harmful viruses can take a long time.  When SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, first emerged, there were no approved treatments or vaccines for treating any coronavirus infection.  However, NIH was able to build on existing research on other coronaviruses that had caused earlier outbreaks or pandemics and actively contribute to the Federal response to COVID-19.  To prepare for future threats posed by known and unknown viruses, NIH is taking a proactive approach by drawing on existing research and investing in antiviral drug discovery and development.  The goal is to generate a pool of new antiviral drugs and increase the availability of antiviral drug candidates that might be used to address future outbreaks or pandemics.  In FY 2022, NIH is working to advance the preclinical or clinical development of one antiviral therapeutic.  In FY 2023, NIH will aim to advance the preclinical or clinical development of two antiviral therapeutics.