title: SARS and the Academic Health Sector.
abstract: SARS illustrated the vulnerability of the entire country to the importation of new organisms and other unexpected health crises. As the federal government assumes a leadership role in developing programs and policies affecting the security of Canada, so, too, should it assume a leadership role in public health matters, especially in an era of possible bioterrorism. The essential needs of such a system include: * A real-time inventory of research and response capacity to include the academic, industry, and government communities that could respond to a major health crisis in the future. * Research platforms in place across the country such as appropriately secure animal care facilities, biobanks, and other technologies necessary to immediately address research issues arising from such a crisis. * Coordinated processes to move appropriate people and resources into place when a health crisis requires such action. * Financial contingency funds that can be mobilized on relatively short notice to respond to the needs of altered patient care patterns and research.
authors.affiliation: jeangray@hfx.eastlink.ca
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D002170:Canada; D006076:Government; D006285:Health Planning; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D011634:Public Health; D012106:Research; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*