US Biopreparedness Regresses as Federal Public Health Funding Is Halved
Updated
Updated · Longmont Times-Call · May 30
US Biopreparedness Regresses as Federal Public Health Funding Is Halved
1 articles · Updated · Longmont Times-Call · May 30
The United States is less able to detect and respond to dangerous outbreaks after cuts to CDC funding and surveillance, withdrawal from the WHO, and the dismantling of USAID, the report says.
Federal support for state and local public health response capacity has been cut by about half, while the CDC has cycled through acting directors since January 2025 and lost scientific expertise.
Recent outbreaks underscore the gap: a hantavirus strain sickened about a dozen cruise passengers and crew, killing 3, while an uncommon Ebola outbreak in Congo has killed about 140.
Americans face little immediate risk from those specific outbreaks, but reduced access to global surveillance data and weaker overseas response capacity leave the U.S. more exposed as travel and trade spread viruses quickly.
Why is one of the world's wealthiest nations becoming less prepared for the next major pandemic?
Can AI predict the next pandemic now that traditional health surveillance systems are failing?