A panel of health experts has called for a complete overhaul of the U.S. public health system, recommending that a new national public health system be created, The New York Times reported June 21.
The panel, which is funded by the nonprofit health research organization the Commonwealth Fund, argued that the U.S. needs a national public health system as opposed to the current state and local level controlled system. It also said that issues in collecting and aggregating data were responsible for many deaths, urging the government to give HHS more authority on collecting data and enforcing standards.
According to Julie , MD, a member of the panel and CDC director for former President George W. Bush, the pandemic "taught us that we have to have a coordinated, integrated public health network that functions — and the only way that we can bring that together is by having a national approach."