October 2009, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the Emerging Pandemic Threats program (EPT-1), a 5-year program targeting “the early detection of new disease threats; enhanced ‘national-level’ preparedness and response capacities for their effective control; and a reduction in the risk of disease emergence by minimizing those practices and behaviors that trigger the ‘spill-over and spread’ of new pathogens from animal reservoirs to humans.” [1, 2]
This effort “grew out of a recognition that we are now in an era of new, re-emerging and recurring global health threats that argue for a longer-term, more strategic approach to global health security.”
“EPT-1 and Avian Influenza work has been focused on building those capacities and expanding the evidence base that contributes to mitigating the impact of novel “high consequence pathogens” arising from animals.”
In 2014 EPT-2 was born which “will also make major contributions to the Global Health Security Agenda to more effectively address threats posed by the natural emergence of new disease threats, as well as the intentional and/or accidental release of dangerous pathogens.”