Paul Friedrichs, a retired U.S. Air Force major general, has been named director of a new permanent office within the Executive Office of the President tasked with coordinating policies related to pandemic preparedness and response.
The Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy will take over the duties of the current COVID-19 Response Team and Mpox Team and help the government prepare and respond to potential biological threats that could lead to significant health-related disruptions, the White House said Friday.
Friedrichs presently serves as special assistant to the president and senior director for global health security and biodefense at the National Security Council.
Before joining the NSC, he was the joint staff surgeon and medical adviser to the Department of Defense’s COVID-19 Task Force.
Friedrichs will assume his new position on Aug. 7.
The new office will work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services on the development of medical countermeasures and next-generation vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 and other public health threats.
In addition, OPPR will continue ongoing efforts to address threats from Mpox and polio, as well as avian and human influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.
