Ventilator blues: Infectious disease expert Tom Inglesby on the next major pandemic

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn this interview, Tom Inglesby – director of the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health – discusses an array of issues surrounding infectious disease outbreaks, from preparedness measures to detection of novel pathogens to response by the public health system. He delves into why, in the 100 years since the 1918 Spanish flu, the world has experienced no pandemic of similar proportions. He assesses whether the next major pandemic will more likely be associated with a naturally occurring or an engineered pathogen; describes the tension between desirable and feasible levels of preparedness; and shares his experiences briefing senior government officials on national biosecurity challenges.