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Center for Biosecurity letter in support of the August 1, 2008 amendment to the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 budget request to increase funding to BARDA |
Representative David Obey | Representative James Walsh Ranking Member House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee 2372 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 | |
| Senator Tom Harkin Chairman Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee 731 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 | Senator Arlen Specter Ranking Member Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee 711 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 |
Dear Chairmen Obey & Harkin and Ranking Members Walsh & Specter:
This letter is to express our strong support for the August 1, 2008 amendment to the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 budget request to increase funding to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by adding $905 million to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF). These additional funds are critical to BARDA’s success in carrying out its mission to develop new medicines and vaccines to counter the grave threats posed by pandemic influenza and by chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons.
We commend the Congress for establishing BARDA via the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2006 (PAHPA; P.L. 109-417). PAHPA authorized $1.07 billion for FY 2006-2008 for BARDA. However, since its creation in December 2006, BARDA has received only $201 million in total. While considerable progress has been made in its early phase, BARDA’s success is seriously compromised by inadequate funding. The resources made available to date are not commensurate with the mission and the scope of the problems BARDA is charged with addressing.
The Center for Biosecurity recently conducted a detailed economic analysis of the funding required for BARDA to be successful in developing medicines and vaccines to treat or protect people from illness caused by biological weapons.1 Our analysis concluded that $3.39 billion is the level of FY 2009 funding BARDA would need to have a 90% probability of developing the eight biodefense MCMs that were deemed national requirements by the HHS Public Health Emergency Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) Implementation Plan. While a large number, this estimate is only for the biological (or “B”) portion of CBRN; the total cost would likely be much higher. This estimated funding would be separate and in addition to the funding required to develop the pandemic influenza medicines and vaccines that HHS has committed to develop with all possible speed. While the $905 million increase to the FY 2009 BARDA budget is not all that is required, it would be an important step forward and a substantial indication that the U.S. government is serious about BARDA and its mission to protect Americans.
We recognize the challenging nature of the FY 2009 budget environment. However, given the funding necessary to develop these essential medicines and vaccines, we strongly urge you to support the request to provide the additional $905 million to BARDA. This work is critical for national security and to protect the health of Americans against the threats posed by CBRN weapons and pandemic influenza.
Sincerely,
Tara O’Toole, MD, MPH
Director and CEO
Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
1 BARDA FY09 Advanced Development Cost Estimates for Medical Countermeasures Against Biological Threats. Center for Biosecurity of UPMC. January 29, 2008.
cc:
Members of the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies: Representative Nita M. Lowey | Members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies: Senator Daniel Inouye |
Representative Anna G. Eshoo
Representative Mike Rogers (of Michigan)
Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Senator Richard Burr
Senator Joseph Lieberman
Senator Susan Collins
Secretary Mike Leavitt, HHS
W. Craig Vanderwagen, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, HHS
Gerald W. Parker, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, HHS
Robin Robinson, Director, BARDA Office, HHS
Brian Kamoie, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response, HHS
Michael Kurilla, Director, Office of Biodefense Research Activities, NIH/NIAID
Robert Kadlec, Special Assistant to President for Homeland Security and Senior Director for Biological Defense Policy