The Standing Committee on Medical and Public Health Research During Large-Scale Emergency Events will coordinate with units across the National Academies to provide a venue for discussion of issues related to short- and long-term strategic planning and how best to perform medical and public health disaster science research activities during a significant event or disaster. The committee will provide a venue for a dialog between the federal, state, and local governments, the private sector, academic community, other research funders, as well as other relevant stakeholders involved in emergency preparedness and emergency response services. It will include experts in state and local public health, epidemiology, environmental health, first responders, emergency medicine, infectious diseases, nursing, emergency management, bioethics, medical countermeasures, state and local government, operations research, mental health, emergency medical services, biosurveillance, and risk communication. Further, as needed, the standing committee will be involved in the planning, development, and oversight of related fast-track ad hoc activities undertaken by separately appointed committees operating under its auspices that will be able to help prioritize scientific research needs during a public health event or in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. The ad hoc activities would be triggered by a large-scale disaster event, at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), and be initiated in the locality affected.

The standing committee should:

• Stand ready to respond on short notice to requests and other needs from the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
• Provide high-level strategic guidance to HHS on emerging issues, research, and activities through in-depth knowledge of the sponsor’s programs, goals, and activities.
• Serve as a focal point for national policy discussions by experts and other leaders in the field.
• Respond to HHS’s needs for continuing advice through planning, strategic thinking, and program development.
• Maintain surveillance of the field, discuss planning and program development efforts, and serve as a focal point within the IOM and National Research Council (NRC) for discussions and potential ad hoc studies on medical and public health disaster science research, including fast track activities needed to assist with evolving emergencies and disasters. In this process, the standing committee will provide a venue for on-going communication among the medical and public health communities, as well as other relevant stakeholders involved in planning and response activities.
• Oversee the development of statements of task for fast-track ad hoc studies or workshops that have the capability to provide rapid guidance on unique scientific needs presented by ongoing public health events or immediately following a disaster. These activities would be subject to institutional review and approval and subsequently be conducted by separately appointed ad hoc committees in accordance with NRC policy and procedures.