The Trump administration has selected Gerald Parker, DVM, PhD, to lead the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, according to media reports.
Parker, an associate dean for Global One Health at Texas A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has had previous roles in government, and was most recently chair of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity at the National Institutes of Health under the Biden administration. Prior to that, Parker served as a senior advisor for the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services from August 2020 to February 2021.
Parker served 26 years in the US Army and has also held positions at the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. According to his bio, he is recognized as a leader in biodefense, high-consequence emerging infectious diseases, global health security, and all-hazards public health/medical preparedness.
Office created by Congress
Created in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy was established under the 2022 PREVENT Pandemics Act and launched in July 2023 with the aim of keeping the country ready for biological threats and pathogens. Among its many tasks is overseeing the development of next-generation countermeasures, including vaccines and treatments.
To date, the office has been primarily responsible for coordinating the federal government's response to the H5N1 avian flu outbreak in US poultry and dairy cattle, which has involved the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the US Department of Agriculture.
In a July 2024 interview with Time magazine, then-candidate Trump suggested he would disband the office if elected. But as CBS News reports, the selection of Parker suggests Trump is not planning to do away with the office entirely.