Walden, Murphy seek update on HHS development of national pandemic influenza response plan

U.S. Reps. Greg Walden (R-OR) and Tim Murphy (R-PA) sought an update on Friday from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on efforts to develop a national pandemic influenza response plan amid growing concerns of the spread of the avian flu virus in China.

Walden, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Murphy, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, noted in a letter to HHS Secretary Tom Price that HHS stated in August 2016 that it was reviewing the 2005 HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan and would release a revised plan in late 2016.

“As of the date of this letter, HHS has not yet released the pandemic influenza plan,” Walden and Murphy wrote. “The need for the updated pandemic influenza plan is vital as there is a current potential pandemic threat.”

Walden and Murphy requested an update on the status of 2005 HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan revisions, an explanation for why the plan was not released in late 2016, and a target date for the release of the plan — if the document isn’t currently ready.

“The H7N9 avian influenza virus that emerged in 2013 is suddenly spreading in China, causing 918 laboratory-confirmed human infections and 359 deaths, as of January 16, 2017, according to the World Health Organization (WHO),” the letter states. “One expert in emerging viral diseases stated that ‘we are facing the largest pandemic in the last 100 years.’ The WHO director-general warned that H7N9 is particularly worrying as it could be a flu pandemic strain.”

HHS had said in August 2016 that its revised Pandemic Influenza Plan would incorporate progress made in acquiring medical countermeasures and would incorporate lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. The plan also was expected to include new advancements in influenza vaccines, antivirals and diagnostics and was seen introducing new technologies to help treat, prevent and minimize the impact of an emerging pandemic.