The Department of Health and Human Services will review in first-quarter 2010 how the nation can more quickly develop and produce medical countermeasures for public health emergencies, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today. "These are the treatments, vaccines, prophylaxis, diagnostics, personal protective equipment, and non-pharmaceutical aids like ventilators that help reduce the spread of infections, reduce health consequences, and ultimately save lives," Sebelius said at an American Medical Association conference on health system readiness. HHS' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response will lead the review, which Sebelius said will "look for the fastest ways to move to new technologies that will let us quickly produce countermeasures that are more dependable and more robust. Not just for flu and not just for infectious diseases, but for all the public health threats we face today."