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NATIONAL BIODEFENSE STRATEGY: President Donald J. Trump is directing the implementation of a National Biodefense Strategy to more effectively prepare for and combat biological threats.

  • Strengthening our biodefense will better protect the American people, our homeland, and the welfare of our citizens.
  • President Trump’s National Biodefense Strategy will lead to a more efficient, coordinated, and accountable biodefense enterprise.
  • The biodefense National Security Presidential Memorandum names the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, as the Federal lead for biodefense and establishes a Cabinet-level Biodefense Steering Committee.
  • The National Security Presidential Memorandum will create a new mechanism for coordinating the full range of biodefense activities and budget resources across the Government.
    • Until now, agencies have had disparate programs that were not centrally coordinated.
    • Enhancing coordination will enable government to better anticipate, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from biological disasters.

IMPLEMENTING AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH: President Trump’s National Biodefense Strategy takes a unique approach to countering the full range of biological threats.

  • The Trump Administration is changing the Government’s biodefense approach to adapt to the complex, evolving nature of biological threats.
  • President Trump’s Strategy is the first of its kind to address the full range of biological threats, including those that are naturally occurring, deliberate, and accidental.
  • The National Biodefense Strategy sets up a process to assess our capabilities and to prioritize biodefense resources and actions across the Government.
  • For the first time, the Government will be comprehensively evaluating biodefense needs and monitoring implementation of the National Biodefense Strategy on an ongoing basis.
    • This annual process will ensure that the Administration stays nimble and can counter the rapidly changing landscape of biological threats.
  • The Administration will take steps to understand new biological threats as they arise, and respond to them effectively and efficiently.

COUNTERING BIOLOGICAL THREATS: The Trump Administration is taking measures to protect the American people from biological threats.

  • Biological threats are a distinct aspect of national security.
  • Biological threats arise from many sources and require a deliberate and systematic approach to reduce their risks.
  • Biological threats know no borders and have the potential to disrupt the economy, and impact travel and trade.
  • The National Biodefense Strategy builds on lessons learned from past biological incidents to develop a more resilient and effective biodefense enterprise.
    • Past incidents such as the 2001 anthrax attacks, the 2009 influenza pandemic, the 2014 Ebola epidemic, and the Zika epidemic helped inform this strategy.

Read the full National Biodefense Strategy here.