CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security Developing New Ten-Year Vision of Health Security
October 3, 2018
The CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security met today to deliberate on how best to construct a ten-year vision of global health security that can more predictably and reliably protect America’s national interests. Launched in April 2018, the Commission aims to roll out in 2019 a decade plan for building critical capacities at home and abroad, investing strategically in technological “best bets,” and dramatically improving U.S. ability to combat outbreaks and deliver critical services in disordered settings.
“Now is the time to refresh our concept of health security – to focus on building resilience and take full account of how much the world is changing: the rapid technological innovations, the demographic shifts, the widening disorder we see across the world, the impacts of climate change, and the shifting geopolitical realities. The CSIS Commission is leading this charge,” said Commission co-chair Julie Gerberding, Executive Vice President and Chief Patient Officer at Merck & Co.
Co-chair Kelly Ayotte, former U.S. Senator for the state of New Hampshire, commented, “We need to break with past patterns of intermittent and sporadic engagement on health security. We believe there is a very promising consensus and ample space for bipartisan action in Congress to build consistent engagement on health security. The CSIS Commission is engaging both sides of the aisle and all branches of government to make real and lasting achievements.”
As it works towards a new ten-year roadmap for health security, the Commission is generating related work, which will now be housed on its newly launched micro-website, https://healthsecurity.csis.org. Upcoming Commission products include a new video commentary on health security in North Korea, to be released October 29 (view the preview), and papers on the U.S. military’s role in health security and on U.S. policy options for improved biosafety.
The Commission brings together a distinguished and diverse group of leaders who bridge the health and security fields. The Commissioners include six members of Congress, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Representative Ami Bera (D-CA), Representative Susan Brooks (R-IN), Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), and Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA), as well as leaders from past administrations, industry, foundations, universities, and nongovernmental organizations.
About the Commission
The CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security aims to chart a bold vision for the future of U.S. leadership in global health security, at home and abroad. The Commission brings together a distinguished and diverse group of leaders who bridge the health and security fields. The Commissioners include six members of Congress,Senator Patty Murray (D-WA),Senator Todd Young (R-IN),Representative Ami Bera (D-CA),Representative Susan Brooks (R-IN),Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), and Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA), as well as leaders from past administrations, industry, foundations, universities, and nongovernmental organizations.
This is a two-year effort organized by the CSIS Global Health Policy Center. The Commission Secretariat is directed by J. Stephen Morrison, Senior Vice President and Director of the CSIS Global Health Policy Center. To learn more about the CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security, visit https://healthsecurity.csis.org.