Join the Conversation on Meeting Next-Generation Challenges in Medical Countermeasures

Safe and effective drugs, vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics help us tackle a wide range of public health threats from emerging infectious diseases to terrorist threats. If you are interested in helping the nation prepare for these threats, register today for the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise Stakeholders Workshop on January 6-7, 2016. Learn More >>

Join the Conversation on Meeting Next-Generation Challenges in Medical Countermeasures

Author: Paige Ezernack, ASPR Project Lead for the Stakeholder Workshop
Published Date: 12/3/2015 3:03:00 PM
Category: Medical Countermeasures; Public Health Preparedness;

Safe and effective drugs, vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics help us tackle a wide range of public health threats from emerging infectious diseases to terrorist threats. As we saw during the recent Ebola outbreak, developing next-generation medical countermeasures to respond rapidly to these threats takes a many smart people who are committed to working together to solve tough problems.

To meet these challenges, we need the commitment of experts from the pharmaceutical industry, hospitals and healthcare coalitions, the first responder community, as well as federal, state and local partners.

If you are interested in helping the nation prepare for these threats, register today for the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) Stakeholders Workshop on January 6-7, 2016. This free, two-day workshop will highlight future directions in developing, stockpiling and effectively utilizing medical countermeasures that may be required during public health emergencies.

Given the broad interests of the workshop attendees, plenary sessions and in-depth breakout sessions are organized along four tracks:

Track 1 – End User Considerations focuses on operational capacity and effectively utilizing medical countermeasures. During this workshop first responders, emergency room physicians, hospital directors and state and local emergency planners will be asked to provide their input into medical countermeasure needs, designs and utilization policies. You will also learn about the PHEMCE’s preparedness goals, clinical guidance for more effective use of medical countermeasures and the Strategic National Stockpile.
Track 2 – Federal Initiatives and Progress highlights federal advancements and progress of the PHEMCE partner agencies and other issues of interest to policy makers. Much has happened since the last workshop was held five years ago, and topics covered for this group will help them get up-to-speed about current medical countermeasures technology, policy and planning efforts. During these sessions, you will learn more about science preparedness and the importance of collecting critical data during crises; how to meet the needs of people with special needs; and how biosafety and biosecurity issues are evolving.
Track 3 – Industry Partnerships focuses on issues of interest to industry partners. These breakout sessions will include discussion of how PHEMCE federal agencies can help private sector partners advance products through federal support for development, and the history and future of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s medical countermeasure initiative. Medical countermeasure manufacturers also will learn about resources available to help them develop medical countermeasures.
Track 4 – Emerging Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Influenza will be of interest to members of the health care industry. These sessions will focus on how to deal with emerging infectious diseases, lessons learned during the response to the Ebola outbreak and an update about influenza and other respiratory pathogens. You will gain a better understanding of how these real-world responses have helped improve overall public health. Health care partners also will learn how more effective communication with the public can result in better health care utilization and health outcomes during crises.

You can learn more about the workshop and find the track that best suits your needs and interests atwww.phe.gov/phemceworkshop. Space is limited, so register today.