Veterinarians and the national biodefense science board, a federal advisory committee

As we move towards a more cohesive One Health view in Public Health, the veterinarian has an increasingly important role to play in protecting the nation. Veterinarians are one of the key players that support the National Biodefense Science Board, a Federal Advisory Committee. The National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) was established under the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act and provides expert advice and guidance on scientific, technical and other matters of special interest to the Department of Health and Human Services regarding current and future chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological agents, whether naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate. The NBSB may also provide advice and guidance to the Secretary and/or the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) on other matters related to public health emergency preparedness and response. Public Health Veterinarians have served in the role of the Executive Director for the NBSB for several years and the current Executive Director is a Veterinary Medical Officer in United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. The NBSB consists of 13 voting members, including the Chairperson; additionally, there are non-voting Ex Officio members. Currently, two Veterinarians serve as Ex Officio members. The NBSB has several Working Groups. One such Working Group (WG) is the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) WG in which a Veterinarian serves as the Executive Secretariat. The NBSB utilizes the expertise of Veterinarians in different capacities which are equally important in developing Biodefense policies.