Senate HELP Committee Advances Pandemic Preparedness Act

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee) passed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act (PAHPARA, S. 2333) by a 17-3 vote last week. The legislation would reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), which was first enacted in 2006 and must be reauthorized every five years. If not reauthorized, PAHPA will expire Sept. 30.

As policymakers began the reauthorization process, AABB and partner organizations in the blood community urged Congress to consider the blood supply as an essential component of the nation’s disaster response activities. In response to this advocacy, the legislation contains a provision (Sec. 202) that would update the National Health Security Strategy to “improve preparedness related to medical readiness, considerations with respect to the blood supply, settings that pose an increased risk for the transmission of infectious diseases during a public health emergency, and natural disasters and other extreme weather events.”

AABB will update members as the legislation progresses. Additional information about AABB’s efforts to promote the sustainability of the blood supply is available online.