limitations of a free market approach to vaccine

implications not only for the servicemember but also

research and production were noted.  This Forum

for public health in general.  Through improving labo 

concluded that the current problems with vaccine

ratory networks, improving communications tools,

availability should be seen in the national security

and sponsoring scholarly meetings, DoD GEIS helps

context and that Congress and the National Security

to improve the accessibility of important public health

Council should address fragmentation of oversight

information.

and the need for improved interagency communication.

 6. Encourage other nations and international

 4. Review and update regulations, procedures,

organizations to assign higher priority to emerging

and resources for screening and quarantine at ports

infectious diseases. 

of entry into the United States. 

 7. Support the World Health Organization and

 5. Make information about ill international travelers

other bodies in playing a stronger role in the sur 

with communicable diseases more accessible to

veillance, prevention, and response to emerging

domestic health authorities. 

infectious diseases. 

Within the federal government, the lead for these

As noted by the IOM, DoD GEIS continues to be a

objectives laid out in the Presidential Decision

unique asset of the U.S. government in advancing

Directive is the Department of Health and Human

the response to emerging infections around the

Services.  DoD also has key responsibilities in this

world.  Elements of DoD GEIS work closely with

arena.  In recent years, the DoD Directive and DoD

the WHO and many of its regional offices.  Many

Instruction on deployment medical surveillance have

of the accomplishments of DoD GEIS in this arena

set policy for a more systematic approach to assess 

have been noted above.  In September 2001,

ing health before, during, and after deployment.

NAMRU 3's DoD GEIS program, in partnership

with the Eastern Mediterranean Office of the WHO,

Policies must sit on an infrastructure, though, to

conducted a regional major meeting in Egypt on the

achieve their ends.

emergence in 2000 of Rift Valley Fever in Saudi

Arabia and Yemen.  DoD GEIS has been a regular

Many specific, and previously mentioned, DoD GEIS

supporter of the U.S. government's efforts under the

funded efforts are working to make information about

APEC and helped craft documents that led in

MHS beneficiaries with communicable diseases more

November 2000 to the APEC Summit's Leaders

accessible to public health authorities.  These initia 

Declaration on emerging infections.

tives are wide ranging and include ESSENCE, the

Virtual Public Health Laboratory, the DoD Mortality

Another notable achievement was the placement of

Surveillance Program, the DoD Influenza

a U.S. Navy preventive medicine officer in the

Surveillance Program, and DoD participation in the

Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response

CDC's Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Program.

directorate at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva.

DoD GEIS has also been funding laboratory based

With partial DoD GEIS support, this Naval officer

surveillance initiatives that support deployments such

is head of the new civil military liaison activity that

as Cobra Gold, Bright Star, and the regular assign 

aims to increase international emerging infections

ment cycle to and from South Korea.  Troops

surveillance by improving WHO's coordination

involved with these assignments sometimes acquire

between host nation civilian public heath and military

infectious diseases that only manifest after their

organizations.  This officer's placement has also

return to the U.S.  Many of these infections have

already proven invaluable in understanding threats to

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