Bill Overview
Title: Tracking Pathogens Act
Description: This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to take specified actions related to the genomic sequencing of pathogens. Specifically, the CDC must issue guidance on sharing specimens and other activities to support collaboration in the genomic sequencing of pathogens. The CDC must also strengthen and expand activities related to the use of genomic sequencing of pathogens in public health surveillance, including by providing technical assistance to health departments. The CDC may award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to academic and other laboratories related to these activities. In addition, the CDC must establish through public health agencies (or partnerships of such agencies) centers of excellence to promote innovation in pathogen genomics and molecular epidemiology.
Sponsors: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Target Audience
Population: People globally at risk of infectious diseases
Estimated Size: 332000000
- The bill focuses on genomic sequencing of pathogens which is crucial for tracking and managing infectious diseases.
- Pathogen tracking is a public health issue that potentially affects everyone as diseases can be highly contagious.
- Genomic sequencing can be key in managing outbreaks and pandemics, thereby having global implications.
- Public health officials, healthcare providers, and researchers will directly use or interact with the resources and structures established by this bill.
- General public will indirectly benefit from enhanced pathogen detection and response capabilities.
Reasoning
- This policy will primarily impact professionals working in healthcare and public health, such as epidemiologists, public health officials, laboratory researchers, and healthcare providers, as they will directly interact with and benefit from pathogen genomics data.
- The general public may not directly perceive changes in wellbeing related to the pathogen tracking improvements, but there may be indirect societal benefits through enhanced disease management and prevention.
- People in healthcare-related government roles or academic positions focused on epidemiology or genomics will see the most pronounced direct impacts of this policy.
- There's a portion of the population that will remain unaware or unaffected in terms of self-reported wellbeing as pathogen tracking enhancements might not translate to tangible immediate benefits for them.
- Budget constraints suggest a focus on building and strengthening existing infrastructure, suggesting initial changes will benefit organizations engaged in health research and direct healthcare delivery.
Simulated Interviews
Epidemiologist (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved genomic sequencing will make our work more efficient and effective.
- Collaboration through centers of excellence will foster innovation and data sharing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
University Researcher (New York, NY)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy would provide more funding opportunities for groundbreaking research.
- Access to shared genomic data will accelerate the pace of discovery.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Public Health Official (Houston, TX)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to detailed genomic data will improve outbreak response strategies.
- Training from CDC's technical assistance proves invaluable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Software Developer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I may enhance my existing systems with pathogen tracking features influenced by this policy.
- Hope it leads to faster data sharing between institutions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Microbiologist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Stronger networks among labs will boost our research capabilities.
- Looking forward to potential grants for advanced equipment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Public School Teacher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased genomic awareness could enhance my lessons.
- I hope it brings more public health education to schools.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy sounds like it will improve disease management nationally.
- I worry about the long-term cost implications.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Healthcare Policy Analyst (Seattle, WA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this aligns with ongoing prevention efforts.
- Metrics on its impact would be crucial for continued support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Hospital Administrator (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 63 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I expect improvements in hospital protocol adaptability.
- This policy might streamline data management procedures for us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Freelance Journalist (Austin, TX)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Will provide material for more informative articles.
- Important to cover the societal implications.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $250000000 (Low: $200000000, High: $300000000)
Year 2: $260000000 (Low: $210000000, High: $310000000)
Year 3: $270000000 (Low: $220000000, High: $320000000)
Year 5: $300000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $350000000)
Year 10: $350000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $400000000)
Year 100: $400000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $450000000)
Key Considerations
- The scalability of genomic sequencing technology and its adaptability to different pathogens.
- The initial setup and equipment costs for genomic sequencing can be significant but may decrease over time with technological advancements.
- Establishing cooperative agreements and centers of excellence implies a commitment to collaboration with external entities, which can lead to varying costs.
- The success of the bill in achieving savings relies greatly on the efficiency of implementation and timely pathogen response.