First Director of HHS Public Health Preparedness Office Resigns

Donald Henderson on May 3 resigned his position as director of the HHS Office of Public Health Preparedness, a post created to coordinate U.S. defenses against bioterrorist threats, the AP/Nando Times reports. Henderson helped to create the office during last October's anthrax attacks, but at that time he agreed to serve as head for only six months. During his tenure, Henderson worked to help cities develop vaccination and antibiotic distribution plans, create regional laboratories to analyze bioterrorist materials and establish reporting systems between hospitals and state health departments (AP/Nando Times, 5/3). Henderson also worked with other agencies within HHS to enhance the response to the anthrax attacks, while also planning for any future incidents (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/2). Although resigning as director, Henderson will continue to serve as HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson's chief scientific adviser on bioterrorism and as chair of the secretary's council on public health preparedness. Henderson will be replaced by Jerome Hauer, who served as head of New York City's emergency management under former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (AP/Nando Times, 5/3).