WASHINGTON — The White House on Friday launched its pandemic preparedness office, half a year after Congress instructed the administration to set up a new arm in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy is a now-permanent installment in Washington and will first be led by retired Major General Paul Friedrichs, a longtime biosecurity official. It comes roughly two months after the Covid-19 public health emergency ended and weeks after Covid-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha stepped down, reflecting an overall wind-down of the administration’s coronavirus efforts.
The creation of a pandemic preparedness office was one of the last major bipartisan pushes for Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) before retiring. He and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) pressed congressional leadership to include the office’s establishment and other pandemic provisions in a spending package passed last December.
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus daily intelligence on Capitol Hill and the life sciences industry — by subscribing to STAT+.
Already have an account? Log in
Already have an account? Log in
About the Author Reprints
To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page.
STAT encourages you to share your voice. We welcome your commentary, criticism, and expertise on our subscriber-only platform, STAT+ Connect