ASPR 2020 Year in Review

ASPR Takes Action to Protect the Nation from COVID-19 and Other Public Health Threats

Large group of NDMS public health workers in uniform

Following the HHS Secretary’s announcement of a nationwide public health emergency on January 31, 2020, ASPR spearheaded the development of an innovative COVID-19 medical countermeasure program; deployed personnel to support quarantine facilities, hospitals, and healthcare facilities across the nation; and provided critical equipment to meet surge demands, save lives, and protect the American people from the virus.

Medical Countermeasures to Combat the Pandemic

ASPR has worked to support the development, procurement, and distribution of medical countermeasures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. During 2020, BARDA entered into 116 new partnerships to fight the virus, investing more than $20 billion in development and/or procurement of 74 products.

Diagnostics

HHS/ASPR’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has increased availability and diversity of COVID-19 diagnostic tests, leveraging existing platform technologies used in labs, supporting the development of in-home test options, and more.

40 COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

Forty COVID-19 diagnostic tests received development support from BARDA
18 FDA Emergency Use Authorizations Granted

Eighteen FDA Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) were granted for BARDA-supported COVID-19 diagnostic tests in 2020
80+ Million BARDA-supported COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

More than 80 million BARDA-supported COVID-19 diagnostic tests were shipped by our partners in 2020

Therapeutics

ASPR has supported the development and distribution of safe and effective therapeutics to treat COVID-19 patients.

SPR has developed, acquired, and allocated monoclonal antibody therapeutics, which can help keep COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms from needing hospitalization. To help get therapeutic products into the hands of healthcare providers quickly, ASPR allocated the first doses of Veklury, a therapeutic product used to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

medical professional holding a vile of COVID-19 vaccine

650,000 Patient Courses of Veklury

650,000 patient courses of Veklury allocated to state and territorial health departments
530,000+ Patient Courses of Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics

More than 530,000 patient courses of monoclonal antibody therapeutics allocated to state and territorial health departments
2 Products Purchased in Advance of Authorization

Two products purchased in advance of authorization to better position the nation to provide post-exposure protection and treat hospitalized patients
520,000+ Units of Convalescent Plasma Collected

Over 520,000 units of convalescent plasma collected, most were used locally

Vaccines

BARDA has funded the development and procurement of a robust portfolio of vaccines to protect the American people.

Medical professional holding two vaccine doses

6 COVID-19 Vaccines

Six COVID-19 vaccine candidates received research and development funding from BARDA
6 COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates

BARDA supported large-scale manufacturing production of
six vaccine candidates
11 Months

Eleven months from BARDA’s investment in the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to FDA’s approval under EUA
6 Million+ COVID-19 Vaccine Ancillary Supply and Mixing Kits

More than six million COVID-19 vaccine ancillary supply and mixing kits produced, stored and distributed under contract with McKesson Corporation

Rallying Responders and Volunteers to Fight the Pandemic

ASPR personnel worked alongside our federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal partners, saving lives from New York to the Navajo Nation to Alaska to Guam and points between.

In coordination with the Department of State, the Administration for Children and Families, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASPR worked to bring Americans home from Wuhan, China and from a cruise ship in Japan following the initial outbreak of the virus, deploying thousands of responders from the National Disaster Medical System. We continue working with our partners in communities across the country to protect health and save lives.

2,500+ Response Personnel Deployed

More than 2,500 response personnel deployed to areas of greatest need
800,000 Volunteer Hours from 450+ Medical Reserve Corps Units

More than 800,000 volunteer hours from more than 450 Medical Reserve Corps units
3,000+ Individuals Brought Home

More than 3,000 individuals brought home during repatriation and quarantine missions

Bringing Critical Equipment to the Frontlines of Health

ASPR left no stone unturned to acquire the necessary personal protective equipment, medical equipment, and supplies for the nation’s frontline workers

Man operating fork lift in shipping truck for medical supplies

90% of Existing Inventory of Personnel Protective Equipment Deployed

Ninety percent of existing inventory of personnel protective equipment was deployed from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to all 50 states and 8 territories
100% of Federal Medical Stations Deployed

All of the SNS's Federal Medical Stations were deployed
150,000 Ventilators and 190 Million N95 Respirators

150,000 ventilators and 190 million N95 respirators purchased to restock the SNS
1,750 Ventilators Supplied to 900 Rural Hospitals

Approximately 1,750 ventilators supplied to 900 rural hospitals

ASPR Meets Challenges Beyond COVID-19

While working to save lives in the COVID-19 pandemic, ASPR continued to respond to other disasters and spearhead new public health initiatives.

Disaster Response

ASPR deployed hundreds of federal disaster responders and 108 tons of medical equipment and supplies to lead and support field operations at disaster sites.

9 Hurricanes

1 Earthquake

2 States
Fighting Wildfires

7 National Special
Security Events

Other Public Health and Medical Initiatives

Third location in the Regional Disaster Health Response System pilot programs

Two pilot programs under the Pediatric Disaster Care Initiative

Strengthening the U.S.-based manufacturing capacity of influenza vaccines, active pharmaceutical ingredients and other raw materials for medical countermeasures

Development of cell-based influenza vaccine (influenza A H5N1)

Portfolio of 2nd generation blood products focused on safety, availability, and usability

Three innovative drugs to treat antibiotic-resistant infections

Advancing kidney health with portable kidney dialysis machines

Development of two therapeutics to treat Ebola Zaire disease

Development of a new diagnostic test for Zika

Development of the National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network

Launch of the mobile friendly HHS emPOWER Program