Pandemics and National Securityby Dr. Harvey Rubin
May 30, 2006 How will the United States cope with the next influenza epidemic? The "Spanish flu" pandemic of 1918 killed between 50 million and 100 million people worldwide and influenza deaths far exceeded total combat mortality during World War I. New and deadly strains of avian influenza ? "bird flu" ? have not yet been transmitted between humans, but a common mutation may allow person-to-person infection. Even a moderate pandemic will have a profound impact on America?s social and economic well-being with serious dislocations of trade and travel, and its impact on the less developed world may be disastrous. Dr. Rubin explored the potential for pandemic disruptions in the United States and discussed strategies for anticipating and coping with the health and economic impacts resulting from epidemic disease. Dr. Rubin's slides are found here.
Dr. Harvey Rubin is the Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Computer Science, and Director of the Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis and Response at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.D. from Columbia University.
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