HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response

03/13/2026

In the Upper Merrimack Valley, Medical Reserve Corps volunteers have teamed up with the Chelmsford Health Department to deliver free health screenings—and plenty of smiles—to local veterans.

At the request of the local health department and town nurse, MRC volunteers provide health screenings at monthly gatherings to assist in monitoring veterans’ key wellness indicators, including high blood pressure, and answering general health questions. These gatherings also provide veterans with an opportunity to connect with others in their community. https://aspr.hhs.gov/MRC/Meet/Pages/Upper-Merrimack-Valley-MRC.aspx

Our MRC volunteers are showing up for those who served, even after a massive snowstorm! Each month, the Upper Merrimack Valley unit supports local veterans by administering free health screenings, including hypertension checks. This January, volunteers braved winter roads in the aftermath of a massive snowstorm to ensure local veterans received care.

According to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, veterans are at a higher risk for developing hypertension. Ensuring they have a consistent opportunity to manage their health means they can prevent further issues down the road, strengthening care for veterans and putting them first. Many of the MRC volunteers who support the event each month are regulars, which has led to strong bonds being created between the volunteers and veterans. Learn more about the program’s impact on local veterans and their health. aspr.hhs.gov/Stories.

03/13/2026

What would it take to strengthen our U.S. medical and pharmaceutical manufacturing industrial base? Next month, join us at the upcoming IBMSC Industry Summit to share your ideas and help shape the future of domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. Today, mark your calendar.

Nearly 40% of finished prescription drugs are manufactured domestically. Yet only about 10% of the APIs by volume used in those products are made here. That imbalance matters.

Join ASPR’s experts, pharmaceutical experts, federal partners, and more as we shape the U.S. Medical Manufacturing Industrial Development Strategy and chart a path toward greater supply chain resilience.

This is a working session. Bring your expertise. Bring your perspective. Help build the solution. Details here: https://aspr.hhs.gov/IBMSC/IndustrySummit2026/Pages/default.aspx

03/12/2026

A coordinated federal response is underway following the Potomac Interceptor Collapse, which has spilled millions of gallons of sewage into the Potomac River. Across the National Capital Region, local, state, and federal agencies are working together to protect public health. EPA, in coordination with FEMA and HHS, is leading federal operations and working to address environmental concerns across the region.

HHS, led by ASPR, is partnering with federal, state, and local leaders to promote clear, consistent communication about how residents in DC, Maryland, and Virginia can safeguard their health.

HHS continues to monitor food and soil conditions, apply advanced analytics and modeling, and evaluate emerging public health data to guide next steps.

To learn more about this response, visit https://aspr.hhs.gov/Potomac-Interceptor-Collapse/Pages/default.aspx.

03/08/2026

When American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a military helicopter over the Potomac River in January 2025 — the deadliest aviation disaster in this country in 25 years — our nation mourned. As the nation stood shocked, men and women from the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) and the Victim Identification Center (VIC), two components of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), were already moving.

They deployed with urgency and purpose. DMORT worked side-by-side with the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, conducting needs assessments and doing the painstaking work of processing human remains. VIC team members worked with the Family Assistance Center, asking the families questions, gathering DNA, and finding other clues to accurately identify the unidentified bodies. So that families of those who lost their lives could have some measure of peace. So that loved ones could come home.

Because here's the thing about disaster recovery that we don't always talk about: healing doesn't truly begin for families or loved ones until they know. Until the uncertainty ends. And DMORT and VIC make that possible.

Amy Mouro of the DC Fire and EMS Foundation honored the NDMS DMORT team with a plaque and commemorative challenge coins from the DC Fire and EMS Foundation and the Families of Flight 5342 for their service during the response to the Potomac River Crash. The plaque and coin were presented to Jon Greene, ASPR Deputy Assistant Secretary for Response.

ASPR would like to take this moment to join EMS Foundation and Families of Flight 5342 in thanking DMORT and VIC for their service to the nation. Your work is a reminder that even in our darkest hours, there are people who answer the call to serve.

03/06/2026

When disaster strikes, the youngest and oldest patients often face the greatest risks. Join the next session where experts will share practical response strategies to help hospitals and health care systems protect both pediatric and geriatric patients.

The March 10 session entitled “From Pediatrics to Geriatrics: Disaster Response Challenges and Solutions” is part of a regular, monthly series, occurring from 12:00-1:15 PM ET on the second Tuesday of every month.

Participation is free, but registration is required. One hour of Continuing Medical Education, Continuing Nursing Education, and Continuing Education for Emergency Medical Services credits are available to participants who attend the live sessions and fill out a brief survey. Register Today: https://bit.ly/4bzs1Ye

Make sure you’re the first to know about each Clinical Readiness Rounds session. Sign up for the newsletter here by selecting the Clinical Readiness Rounds box under the “Programs” header: mcq2gw7gq8-hdsfhqxzn30v35pgy.pub.sfmc-content.com/pkfzr21dq5z.

03/06/2026

ASPR’s new cybersecurity tool can help hospitals, healthcare facilities, and public health organizations get started on a NIST-based assessment of their risks – and the tool is free.

The new cybersecurity module helps healthcare and public health partners understand how to strengthen their resilience to sophisticated cyber threats. Integrated into the existing RISC 2.0 platform, the module allows facilities, health systems, and coalitions to analyze cyber risk alongside other hazards in one unified tool. Users can complete the cyber module questionnaire independently or in combination with other risk assessments, depending on need.

Brian Mazanec, ASPR’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness, discusses advantages of the new cybersecurity module of the RISC 2.0. Register for the tool to prevent disruption of patient care and strengthen national health security.

To learn more, check out the latest edition of the ASPR blog. https://aspr.hhs.gov/ASPRBlog/Pages/BlogDetailView.aspx?ItemID=508

03/05/2026

A new onshoring initiative is helping combat the opioid crisis and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers for an essential medicine. ASPR has invested $9 million to strengthen domestic production of thebaine, a critical ingredient used in pain management, alcohol use disorder, and overdose reversal medications.

Under the new agreement, Antheia, Inc. will produce thebaine at their next-generation biomanufacturing facility, enabling the company to make thebaine at commercial scale. Using innovative technology to produce thebaine in the U.S. means that American healthcare providers will have more reliable access to the medicines they need to ease pain management, alcohol use disorder, and reverse opioid overdose.

This is just the latest way that the Trump administration is delivering on its promise to strengthen America’s pharmaceutical supply chains. For years, we've relied on India, Turkey and other foreign suppliers for thebaine. Whenever there were disruptions in supply, American lives were put at risk. Now, we're reducing dangerous dependencies on foreign suppliers, ensuring America controls the supply of this essential product.

To learn more about actions ASPR is taking to onshore thebaine production, read our latest press release: https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/Antheia-Analgesic-Antagonist-KSM-Award-Mar2026.aspx.

03/05/2026

A tool is now available to help hospitals, healthcare facilities, and public health organizations strengthen cybersecurity using a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-based assessment. And it is available for free. The RISC 2.0 Cybersecurity Module uses an objective, standards-based approach to help organizations identify critical gaps, prioritize investments, and make informed decisions about risk mitigation.

The RISC 2.0 Cybersecurity Module is the latest addition to ASPR’s RISC 2.0 toolkit. The RISC 2.0 Toolkit is already helping 3,500 healthcare systems plan for emergencies more effectively, mitigate risks, and priorities resource investments.

Learn how the RISC 2.0 Cybersecurity Module can be used to strengthen cybersecurity and safeguard patients: https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/New-RISC-Toolkit-Mar2026.aspx

03/02/2026

At Manus Bio's facility in Augusta, GA, ASPR team members and Congressional staff saw first-hand successes in onshoring and domestic manufacturing.

Manus Bio is already making Artemisinin, a key starting ingredient for an anti-malaria drug, at scale. Manus is building on its experience using biomanufacturing and continuous flow chemistry to expand its production of essential medicines to include Shikimic Acid, the essential precursor to Tamiflu.

Tamiflu is just one of the investments in essential medicines by ASPR’s DPA Title III program. Overall, ASPR’s DPA Title III program has invested over $91 million in domestic production of essential medicines.

The result? Stronger American pharmaceutical supply chains. More jobs for American workers.

To learn more about the products that have been procured under ASPR’s Defense Production Act Title III Program, see https://aspr.hhs.gov/legal/DPA/Pages/Title-III.aspx

02/24/2026

On the eve of the State of the Union, while many Americans are focused on the chamber floor, there’s another team at work. ASPR’s responders are working behind-the-scenes to ensure we are ready to respond should an emergency arise.

Right now, dedicated professionals from the National Disaster Medical System, ASPR’s Tactical Medical Response Team, and Incident Management Team are deploying. Our teams are providing medical support at the request of the U.S. Capitol Police. They won’t be in the spotlight. You won’t hear their names called.

But if there is an emergency, our responders will be there—swift, skilled, and ready to serve.

02/20/2026

HHS Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, John Knox met with Hawai’i Healthcare Emergency Management Coalition Members to hear about the unique healthcare challenges faced in Hawai‘i and how ASPR can continue to support disaster preparedness and response at the state and local levels. The importance of lessons learned from recent disasters, trainings, and exercises were discussed as foundations to drive continuous improvement and build resiliency in disaster response efforts.