USU Alumnus to Head New White House Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy Office
Uniformed Services University alumnus, ret. Air Force Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Paul Friedrichs, will lead the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy
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Medical Advisor to the Department of Defense Coronavirus Task Force Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs answers questions and speaks to the media during press briefing on DOD COVID-19 testing, July 30, 2020 in the Pentagon Briefing Room. (DoD photo by Marvin Lynchard) |
July 26, 2023 by Sharon Holland
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Ret. Air Force Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Paul Friedrichs (Photo credit: Eric R. Dietrich) |
According to the White House announcement, the OPPR will:
“Coordinate the Administration’s domestic response to public health threats that have pandemic potential, or may cause significant disruption, and strengthen domestic pandemic preparedness. This includes ongoing work to address potential public health outbreaks and threats from COVID-19, Mpox, polio, avian and human influenza, and RSV.
“Drive and coordinate federal science and technology efforts related to pandemic preparedness. Specifically, OPPR will oversee efforts to develop, manufacture, and procure the next generation of medical countermeasures, including leveraging emerging technologies and working with HHS on next generation vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 and other public health threats.
“Develop and provide periodic reports to Congress. As required by statute, OPPR will develop and provide to Congress a biennial Preparedness Review and Report and Preparedness Outlook Report every five years.”
Prior to his retirement, Friedrichs served as the Pentagon’s Joint Staff Surgeon and medical advisor to the Department of Defense (DoD) COVID-19 Task Force. He oversaw the DoD global patient evacuation system, supporting global medical care and numerous interagency domestic and global disaster responses. Friedrichs led the DoD Task Force which developed plans to implement high reliability medical principles across DoD and stood up the Air Force’s first medical analytics capabilities.
Friedrichs, a board certified urologist, has held a number of assignments throughout his 37-year Air Force career, including command of military hospitals and regional and global health care systems. He served as the United States’ representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Committee of Military Medical Chiefs, working with many of America’s closest allies and partners throughout the pandemic and in developing medical support to the Ukrainian military.
"Maj. Gen. Friedrichs brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this new role,” said Dr. Jonathan Woodson, president of USU. “His expertise provides a strong foundation upon which to build this critical new office and to ensure that the nation is prepared in the event of future disease outbreaks and pandemics.”
Friedrichs will begin his new duties on Aug. 7.
