Conference Explores Better Detection of Bioterrorism Outbreaks

NEW YORK CITY, Sept. 24, 2002 -- Bioterrorism events in the U.S. in the past year have highlighted the need for better public health surveillance systems that can detect outbreaks of potentially deadly diseases like anthrax and smallpox. A two-day conference this week at The New York Academy of Medicine provided a forum for health agencies and academics to critically evaluate existing systems and help public health entities to define their needs.

Real-time electronic surveillance of non-specific disease indicators -- called ???syndromic surveillance??? -- may provide early warning of large outbreaks and thereby safeguard lives. New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden said that he is working to improve the city???s bioterrorism preparedness by installing a new syndromic surveillance system in all citywide emergency rooms to detect clusters of symptoms that warn of suspicious outbreaks.

The National Syndromic Surveillance Conference on Sept. 23 and 24 included the following topics and speakers:

• Margaret Hamburg, M.D., Vice President for Biological Programs, Nuclear Threat Initiative, discussed ???Putting Syndromic Surveillance into Context: National Preparedness???

• Robert Pinner, M.D., Director of the Office of Surveillance in the CDC???s National Center for Infectious Disease, moderated a session on ???Model Syndromic Surveillance Systems???

• Henry Rolka, M.S., Chief of the Statistical Analysis Branch at the CDC???s National Immunization Program, moderated a session about a variety of data sources used for this type of surveillance, including trends in work or school absenteeism, emergency department visits, outpatient visits, pharmaceutical sales and ambulance dispatches.

• Don Weiss M.D., M.P.H., Medical Director of Surveillance & Epidemiology in the city Health Department???s Communicable Disease Program, moderated a discussion of the challenges and opportunities in investigating these somewhat subtle signals, using examples from local and state health departments.

• John Loonsk, M.D., Director of the CDC???s Information Resource Management Office, moderated a session about how to hurdle the information technology issues involved in this large scale data-transfer and analysis effort. The event was co-sponsored by the Academy, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was supported with funding from The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, a philanthropic nonprofit institution. The New York Academy of Medicine is a non-profit institution founded in 1847 that is dedicated to enhancing the health of the public through research, education and advocacy, with a particular focus on disadvantaged urban populations.

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• NY 1 News

Posted on September 24, 2002

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Contact:
Andrew J. Martin
Director of Communications
The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10029
212-822-7285
amartin@nyam.org

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