The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill June 4 to reauthorize funding for programs that prepare the nation for public health emergencies, such as pandemic flu.
The bill, the "Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovations Act," cleared the Senate in May and awaits signature from President Donald Trump. When signed into law, it will authorize funding for pandemic flu and emerging infectious diseases programs, as well as reauthorize funding for bioterrorism preparedness and the Hospital Preparedness Program, among other initiatives.
The bill also includes funding to integrate trauma care providers from the military into civilian trauma centers to help reduce preventable traumatic deaths. The American College of Surgeons was a major advocate for this integration. "This legislation establishes the framework for a trauma system that can provide the highest-quality emergency medical care," ACS Executive Director David Hoyt, MD, said in a statement.
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