The Neglected Dimension of Global Security

Since the 2014 Ebola outbreak many public- and private-sector leaders have seen a need for improved management of global public health emergencies. The effects of the Ebola epidemic go well beyond the three hardest-hit countries and beyond the health sector. Education, child protection, commerce, transportation, and human rights have all suffered. The consequences and lethality of Ebola have increased interest in coordinated global response to infectious threats, many of which could disrupt global health and commerce far more than the recent outbreak.



In order to explore the potential for improving international management and response to outbreaks the National Academy of Medicine agreed to manage an international, independent, evidence-based, authoritative, multistakeholder expert commission. As part of this effort, the Institute of Medicine convened four workshops in summer of 2015. This commission report considers the evidence supplied by these workshops and offers conclusions and actionable recommendations to guide policy makers, international funders, civil society organizations, and the private sector.


Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1 Introduction
2 The Case for Investing in Pandemic Preparedness
3 Strengthening Public Health as the Foundation of the Health System and First Line of Defense
4 Strengthening the Global and Regional System for Outbreak Preparedness, Alert, and Response
5 Accelerating Research and Development to Counter the Threat of Infectious Diseases
6 Building a Framework for Global Health Security
Appendix A: Public Session Agenda
Appendix B: Workshop Agendas
Appendix C: Modeling the Economic Threat of Pandemics, by Anas El Turabi and Philip Saynisch
Appendix D: Biographical Sketches of Commission Members, Consultants, and Staff