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PHEMCE Priority Threats

 

The PHEMCE will continue to address MCM needs to protect against high-priority threats. These may be determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security based on those deemed to pose a sufficient material threat affecting national security, or by PHEMCE leadership having the potential to threaten national health security. The PHEMCE high-priority threats are (in alphabetical order by threat area): 

Biological Threats

  • Bacillus anthracis (anthrax)* and multidrug resistant B. anthracis (MDR anthrax)*

  • Burkholderia mallei (glanders)* and Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis)*

  • Clostridium botulinum toxin (botulism)*

  • Ebolavirus (Ebola hemorrhagic fever)*

  • Emerging infectious diseases# 

  • Francisella tularensis (tularemia)*

  • Marburgvirus (Marburg hemorrhagic fever)*

  • Pandemic influenza virus

  • Rickettsia prowazekii (typhus)*

  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV) (including SARS-CoV-1 and -2)*

  • Variola virus (smallpox)*

  • Yersinia pestis (plague)*

Chemical Threats

  • Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor nerve agents*

  • Chlorine

  • Cyanide salts (potassium and sodium cyanide)*

  • Hydrogen cyanide*

  • Pharmaceutical based agents (including opioids)*

  • Phosgene

  • Vesicants*

Radiological and Nuclear* Threats

  • Radiological and nuclear agents*

(*) Indicates an identified material threat under section 319F-2(c)(2)(A)(ii) of the Public Health Service Act. 
 

(#) For emerging infectious disease threats, the PHEMCE prioritizes the below pathogen families or groups. Novel high consequence pathogens within these groups have the potential to emerge and result in a U.S. public health emergency requiring mobilization of Federal resources.

  • Orthomyxoviridae

  • Coronaviridae

  • Paramyxoviridae

  • Poxviridae

  • Flaviviridae

  • Filoviridae

  • Togaviridae

  • Arenaviridae

  • Antimicrobial Resistant Pathogens