Engaging National Policy-Making to Affect Global Animal Health, Food Systems, Trade, and Public Health
Washington D.C.
March 22–27, 2010
A joint program of the School for Global Animal Health (Washington State University), The Global Food Safety Systems Leadership Initiative, and the Masters of Preventive Veterinary Medicine (University of California, Davis)
.Materials to prepare for the program
The core element for the program is a report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM): “Achieving Sustainable Global Capacity for Surveillance and Response to Emerging Diseases of Zoonotic Origin, Workshop Report”. In concert with this workshop report is a blue ribbon panel coordinated by IOM addressing “Achieving Sustainable Global Capacity for Surveillance and Response to Emerging Diseases of Zoonotic Origin”. Our time in Washington, D.C. will be spent understanding the science, politics, and beliefs associated with this issue and you (as a group) will develop a strategic plan to support the development of a policy for this issue. This strategic plan will include a clear statement of the policy, elements that are needed to support the implementation of the policy, define needs to support the policy, identify the coalition that you need to move the policy forward, identify the groups that may not support the policy (the opposition), and develop a set of cogent arguments and messages for delivery to congressional members and their staff.
At this point, the group has not established the policy they will develop and support; but you should have begun to formulate your policy position by the time you arrive.
Before arriving on March 22 in Washington, D.C., please prepare by developing background on the issue.
1. You (or a group) will be assigned an expert on the topic to interview. Look for your assignment by March 17, 2009. The objective is to obtain a variety of opinions regarding the topic. On Monday morning (March 23) as part of our introduction to the program, each of you will report on the findings from your interviews.
- Read the executive summary of the IOM report "Achieving Sustainable Global Capacity for Surveillance and Response to Emerging Diseases of Zoonotic Origin"
- Review with your expert the background of emergence and spread over the last several decades of the diverse range of agents of zoonotic origin;
- Review with your expert trends, extent and risks associated with emergent zoonotic disease as well as, long-term domestic and international development and security
- Review with your expert their the current state of and gaps in global systems for surveillance of zoonotic infections in human and animal populations
- Explore with your expert contact options for policy and regulations to mitigate and decrease the threat of emerging zoonotic diseases
2. Each of you should search the National Science Foundation (NSF) web site (IOM is part of NSF) and determine the following:
- Who funds the NSF and IOM?
- What is the core mission of the NSF/IOM?
- What is the membership of the NSF?
- How does one become a member?
- What is the role of expert panels in the NSF?
3. Each of you should find the relevant committee/panel addressing the issue of this program: Capacity building for global surveillance.
- What are the objectives of the panel?
- How large is the panel?
- Who are the members of the panel (focus on the credentials of the memberhsip and what 'sectors' they represent)?
4. Be familiar with the workshop document Achieving Sustainable Global Capacity for Surveillance and Response to Emerging Diseases of Zoonotic Origin and its executive summary. It will make for good reading on your flight to DC.
5. Go to the Thomas Web site, which is part of the Library of Congress. Find and read the bills listed below. You should bring with you a copy of both bills or, at minimum, the summaries. Please note that the bills are similar but not identical.
111th Congress
- H.R. 805 "To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve the Nationa's surveillance and reporting for diseases and conditions, and for other purposes". Sponsored by Rep Tammy Baldwin.
110th Congress
- H.R.1405 "To establish wildlife glboal anima information network for surveillance internationally to combat the greowing threat of emerging diseases that involve wild animals, such as bird flu and for other purposes" sponosred by Rep Rosa L. DeLauro
- S.1246 "a bill to establish and maintain a wildlife global animal information newtork for surveillance internationally to combat the growing threat of emerging diseases that involve wild animals, such as bird flu and for other purposes". Sponsor Sen Joseph I. Lieberman
- S.1687 "A bill to provide for global pathogen surveillance and response" Sponsored by Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
- Note the cosponsors of the bills and the date(s) they signed onto the bills.
- Read the text of the speeches that were made when the bills were introduced.
- Make note of the organizations and literature cited in support of the bills.
On Monday, we will meet at the hotel (Jill will let you know where and when) and set up the week for you and revisit the expectations. You all should be prepared to discuss your interviews and the workshop document.
Our first day will be spent with Tony Flood at IFIC talking about communication and learning how to develop communication messages. You should give some thought about a message – it could be about this project, personal or work related that will serve as the focus for your day. If you have questions please contact Jill Griffin (griffinj@vetmed.wsu.edu) or Mandy Murray (almurray@ucdavis.edu).
Please read the short piece about science and policy that was published in Nature.
Be prepared to discuss the implications of the idea of science and uncertainty in helping to formulate policy.
Finally, below are references to the concepts of transboundary and prevalence of zoonotic diseases in different parts of the world. Please choose one to read and be prepared to discuss the findings and conclusions from the paper. If you
have trouble getting copies of articles that are not linked below, please let Jill Griffin know (griffinj@vetmed.wsu.edu) and she will e-mail you a copy.
- GAO Report Highlights: Global Health: US Agencies Support Programs to Build Overseas Capacity for Infectious Disease Surveillance. , Report to Congressional Requesters, September 2007.
- Pathways to Global Health Research: The John E. Fogarty International Center: Advancing Science for Global Health. Strategic Plan 2008-2012.
- WHO Global Salm-Surv A surveillance network for foodborne diseases. World Health Organization: International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN), Note No. 6/2005, October 20, 2005
- The identification, assessment and management of food safety events under the International Health Regulations (2005). World Health Organization: International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN), Note No. 4/2007, May 10, 2007
- Pre-spillover prevention of emerging zoonotic diseases: what are the targets and what are the tools? J.E. Childs Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2007, 315:389-443.
- Regional and International Approaches on Prevention and Control of Animal Transboundary and Emerging Diseases (Part 1: Trends in Emerging Zoonoses). J. Domenech, J. Lubroth, C. Eddi, V. Martin and F. Roger. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2006, 1081:90-107.
- Role of Import and Export Regulatory Animal Health Officials in International Control and Surveillance for Animal Diseases (Part 1: Trends in Emerging Zoonoses). Bob H. Bokma. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2006, 1081:84-89.
- Implementation Science. T. Madon, K.J. Hofman, L. Kupfer, and R.I. Glass. Science 2007, 318:1728-1729.
- Surveillance and response to disease emergence. A. Merianos. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2007, 315:477-509.