HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response

HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR)

Unity of command saves lives. Twenty years ago, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act consolidated federal publi...
01/21/2026

Unity of command saves lives. Twenty years ago, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act consolidated federal public health and medical preparedness so we could prepare effectively and act decisively during disasters and emergencies.

Hurricane Katrina showed us what happens when systems fail and revealed our gaps in preparedness. ASPR has used PAHPA authorities to fill those gaps by introducing new flexibilities for deploying responders, creating the National Special Pathogen System, improving the way we meet the needs of children during disasters, and more.

Find out how ASPR has used PAHPA authorities to build, sustain, and deploy the capabilities needed to protect Americans for 20 years: https://aspr.hhs.gov/ASPRBlog/Pages/BlogDetailView.aspx?ItemID=504

Preparedness means acting before the next outbreak. With over 150 representatives on site, the SMART Antiviral Prize la...
01/20/2026

Preparedness means acting before the next outbreak. With over 150 representatives on site, the SMART Antiviral Prize launch included HHS Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, John Knox as a keynote speaker. During his address, PDAS Knox underscored that broad-spectrum antivirals are critical to national health security—delivering faster response, coverage across multiple viral threats, and a stronger return on investment for the American people.

The $100M SMART Antiviral Prize is a call to action for drug developers, virologists, AI scientists, medicinal chemists, and public health innovators to accelerate breakthrough small-molecule antivirals. Together, with partners across industry, academia, and government, we can build an antiviral pipeline that is SMARTer and more resilient than the threats we face.

SMART Antiviral Prize is a call to innovators across virology, AI, and drug development to help build a faster, more resilient antiviral pipeline for the nation. To learn more, visit https://SMARTantiviral.com/

A plan is only as strong as its last test. HHS leaders exercised the most fundamental aspects of emergency response -- h...
01/12/2026

A plan is only as strong as its last test. HHS leaders exercised the most fundamental aspects of emergency response -- how we ensure mission essential functions continue during a disaster.

Leaders came together to determine how they could best ensure continuity of operations in a dangerous, highly fluid situation. Regular exercises ensure that HHS can better respond to rapidly evolving events, help the nation and its communities recover, and serve Americans in the nation’s darkest hours.

01/09/2026

Today, we are launching the ASPR Strategic Plan 2026-2029, focused on readiness before disaster strikes, strengthening medical supply chains, rapid response when lives are at risk, and strong partnerships across federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and industry partners.

The new ASPR Strategic Plan reflects Secretary Kennedy’s vision, the President’s executive orders on state resiliency and pharmaceutical onshoring, and the fiscal responsibility entrusted to us by the American taxpayer. https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/ASPR-Strategic-Plan-FY2026-29-Jan2026.aspx

Health care cybersecurity threats can shut down critical systems, compromise patient data, and delay care, threatening p...
01/08/2026

Health care cybersecurity threats can shut down critical systems, compromise patient data, and delay care, threatening patients’ lives. Join us for the next session where experts will share promising practices and considerations for clinicians caring for patients during a cyber incident.

The January 13 session entitled “Cybersecurity Preparedness Strategies for Health Care” is part of a regular, monthly series, occurring from 12:00-1:00 PM ET on the second Tuesday of every month.

Participation is free, but registration is required. CME, CNE, and Continuing Education for EMS credits will be available to participants who attend the live sessions and fill out a brief survey. Sign up here:
https://iecho.org/program/PRGM1703002309004M2CX1LFEND/details

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

01/06/2026

In 2025, ASPR deployed personnel to support emergencies, activated recovery and behavioral health resources of which two are currently active, and helped to safeguard the healthcare sector during cybersecurity incidents, such as the attack on a radiology center in St. Croix. With ASPR’s help, radiology reports continued to be reported in under an hour to medical staff, and teleradiologist support helped manage the needs of patients during the outage.

These are just a few of our response and recover missions from 2025 Learn more about ASPR’s 2025 achievements by reading our latest blog post. ➡️ https://aspr.hhs.gov/ASPRBlog/Pages/BlogDetailView.aspx?ItemID=503

99.9% uptime for saline? That’s the goal of the DEKA Research and Development Caspian System team. This ASPR-supported ...
01/05/2026

99.9% uptime for saline? That’s the goal of the DEKA Research and Development Caspian System team.

This ASPR-supported system is being developed to provide U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved saline at the point-of-care. This system could be deployed to disaster zones and provide saline derived from potable water, decreasing shortages, reducing logistical challenges, and mitigating impacts from supply chain disruptions and getting product to those in need.

The technology is , and the saline could be produced in communities across the country.

01/05/2026

In 2025, ASPR continued to advance emergency preparedness through the ex*****on of a large-scale exercise, expanding training initiatives to equip communities with resources, supporting Medical Reserve Corps volunteers in communities nationwide, offering technical assistance and support during active incidents, and more.

ASPR is reinforcing our emergency preparedness system for a resilient, coordinated, and effective emergency response before disasters strike.

Learn more about each of ASPR’s 2025 achievements the latest edition of the ASPR blog. ➡️ https://aspr.hhs.gov/ASPRBlog/Pages/BlogDetailView.aspx?ItemID=503

01/02/2026

From developing breakthrough medical countermeasures to manufacturing essential medicines on American soil, ASPR delivered major wins for health security in 2025.

ASPR made major strides in advancing the Trump Administration’s vision for a stronger, more secure domestic pharmaceutical supply chain. In support of Executive Order 14336, Ensuring American Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Resilience, IBMSC worked to fill the Strategic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Reserve with critical APIs for medicines that are at risk and needed for National Security. IBMSC also made strategic investments to support drug development, onshoring, and building infrastructure for domestic manufacturing.

BARDA has continued to develop new medical countermeasures, improve existing products, and supported 10 products across the finish line to FDA approval. Making medical countermeasures our nation can rely on when disaster strikes is one key way ASPR is helping to Make America Healthy Again.

Learn more about each of ASPR’s 2025 achievements by reading our latest blog post. ➡️ https://aspr.hhs.gov/ASPRBlog/Pages/BlogDetailView.aspx?ItemID=503

Yesterday, HHS Secretary Kennedy declared a Public Health Emergency in WA following severe weather impacts. The Public H...
12/24/2025

Yesterday, HHS Secretary Kennedy declared a Public Health Emergency in WA following severe weather impacts. The Public Health Emergency declaration ensures public health officials and health care providers have the flexibilities needed to provide care to people impacted by the strong winds, flooding, and mudslides.

ASPR continues to work with our state and local partners to assess area health care needs, and we stand ready to bring to bear federal public health and medical resources to help affected communities respond and recover. https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/PHE-Declared-for-Washington-Following-Severe-Weather-Dec2025.aspx

12/19/2025

As we enter this holiday season, I’m reminded of the resilience and generosity that define our communities. This is a time to reflect, to celebrate, and to look ahead with hope.

I’m deeply grateful for the dedication of the ASPR team and our partners across government and beyond, whose work safeguards health and strengthens our nation every day. I’m equally inspired by the countless acts of service, large and small, that remind us of the power of working together for the common good.

Wishing you and your loved ones peace, health, and joy this holiday season, and renewed faith as we prepare for the year ahead.

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