US HHS Secretary releases recommendations on medical countermeasures, including enhancing FDA and helping small biotechs

US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Friday released an examination of the federal government's system to produce medicines, vaccines, equipment and supplies needed for a health emergency, known as medical countermeasures. The Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasure Enterprise Review: Transforming the Enterprise to Meet Long Range National Needs reviews the process and makes recommendations for a better approach.

'Our nation must have a system that is nimble and flexible enough to produce medical countermeasures quickly in the face of any attack or threat, whether it's a threat we know about today or a new one,' said Secretary Sebelius, adding: 'By moving towards a 21st century countermeasures enterprise with a strong base of discovery, a clear regulatory pathway, and agile manufacturing, we will be able to respond faster and more effectively to public health threats.'

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