Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is a well-established biosecurity organization that has significantly influenced US policy on pandemic preparedness and biological threats, with recent expansion into AI-biotechnology convergence risks. The article provides comprehensive coverage of the organization's history, activities, and impact, though it lacks critical analysis of effectiveness metrics and potential limitations.
Quick Assessment
| Dimension | Assessment | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Impact | High | Influenced major policy decisions including US smallpox vaccine stockpiling; provides recommendations to US government, EU, and UN |
| Credibility | High | Designated WHO and PAHO Collaborating Centre; affiliated with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health |
| Funding | Well-funded | Received over $40M from Coefficient Giving as of 2022; $23.5M CDC grant in 2023 |
| Focus Areas | Broad | Biosecurity, pandemic preparedness, AI-bio convergence, biological weapons prevention |
| Notable Work | Significant | Dark Winter (2001), Event 201 (2019), AIxBio initiatives, JAMA bioterrorism response papers |
Key Links
| Source | Link |
|---|---|
| Official Website | publichealth.jhu.edu |
| Wikipedia | en.wikipedia.org |
Overview
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (CHS) is an independent, nonprofit research organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.1 Founded in 1998, it works to prevent and prepare for epidemics, pandemics, and other health disasters through research, policy analysis, and high-profile simulation exercises.2
CHS's mission is to "protect people's health from epidemics and disasters and ensure that communities are resilient to major challenges."3 The organization addresses challenges including emerging infectious diseases, pandemic influenza risk, natural disasters, and biological accidents or intentional threats. Since 2023, it has significantly expanded its work on the convergence of artificial intelligence and biotechnology (AIxBio), examining biosecurity risks from AI-enabled biological research.4
The Center is designated an official Collaborating Centre of the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization, and provides policy recommendations to governments worldwide including the United States Government, the European Union, and the United Nations Biological Weapons Convention.5 Its work combines independent research, policy engagement with scholars and policymakers, advocacy for stronger health security policies, and education of the next generation of health security professionals.6
History
Founding and Early Years (1998-2001)
CHS was founded in 1998 by D.A. Henderson, the physician who led the WHO's successful smallpox eradication campaign.7 Originally named the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies (CCBS), it was the first academic center focused on biosecurity policy and practice.8 The founding team included Dr. Tara O'Toole, Dr. Tom Inglesby, and Dr. Monica Schoch-Spana, with goals of research and advocacy against bioterrorism and emerging diseases like pandemic influenza, HIV, and monkeypox.9
One of the Center's early achievements was proposing that the US Government procure 40 million doses of stockpiled smallpox vaccine, a proposal supported by President Bill Clinton.10 Between 1999 and 2002, CHS published influential "JAMA papers" providing guidance on medical responses to anthrax, smallpox, plague, botulinum toxin, and Ebola—guidance that had been lacking in the US government prior to this work.11 These recommendations were subsequently incorporated into the US Hospital Preparedness Program, bio-surveillance systems, countermeasures development, and pandemic planning.12
Post-9/11 Expansion (2001-2003)
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks and subsequent anthrax attacks, Congress appropriated $3 billion for biodefense.13 HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson requested Henderson lead the Office of Public Health Preparedness, which later became the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.14
In 2003, the organization was renamed the Center for Biosecurity under leadership of O'Toole and Inglesby, and moved to an affiliation with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).15
Return to Johns Hopkins and Modern Era (2017-Present)
In 2017, the Center rejoined Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health from its UPMC affiliation, with Tom Inglesby as director and CEO. The move aimed to enhance research on epidemics like Zika, Ebola, and antibiotic resistance.16 As of May 2022, the Center had received over $40 million in grants from Coefficient Giving.17
In 2023, CHS was awarded $23.5 million from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for epidemic preparedness work.18
Major Activities and Research
Simulation Exercises
CHS has conducted several high-profile tabletop exercises to prepare policymakers for biological threats:
Operation Dark Winter (June 22-23, 2001): A senior-level simulation of a covert smallpox bioterrorism attack on the United States. This was the first biological weapons tabletop exercise and led to six congressional hearings.19
Atlantic Storm (January 14, 2005): A tabletop simulation of a smallpox bioterrorism event.20
Event 201 (2019): Simulated a coronavirus outbreak from pig farms in Brazil, projecting 65 million deaths after 18 months with no vaccine available in the first year. This exercise, conducted with the World Economic Forum and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, demonstrated pandemic preparedness gaps months before the COVID-19 pandemic.21
Research Projects
CHS conducts research across multiple areas of health security:
- COPEWELL: A conceptual framework and system dynamics model for predicting community functioning and resilience after disasters.22
- Global Catastrophic Biological Risks (GCBRs): Framework to define and analyze GCBRs, involving expert consultations to advance policy and protections against high-impact biological threats.23
- Scarce Resource Allocation During Disasters: Mixed-method community engagement study on ethical allocation of ventilators during pandemics, informing statewide frameworks.24
- Pandemic Prevention Program: Research and policy analysis to enhance global preparedness for infectious diseases and crises.25
AI and Biotechnology Convergence
Since 2023, CHS has conducted extensive work on AIxBio—the convergence of artificial intelligence and biotechnology. On November 29, 2023, CHS hosted a convening on AI-driven biosecurity threats attended by the U.S. National Security Council, Department of Energy, White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness, UK Cabinet Office, and representatives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, Meta, Google DeepMind, Amazon, and RAND.26
In August 2024, CHS led a paper published in Science titled "AI and biosecurity: The need for governance," calling for government evaluation of advanced AI models and implementation of safety measures.27 The Center has provided policy recommendations on biological data governance, open-source models, export controls, and risk assessment to governments and AI Safety Institutes.28
Dr. Jassi Pannu, a Senior Scholar at CHS, testified before the US House Committee on Energy and Commerce on December 17, 2025, regarding biosecurity at the AI-biology intersection. Pannu advocated for oversight of biological AI models, safety evaluations, and mitigations against accidents and misuse, such as large language models enabling bioweapon design.29
International Engagement
The Southeast Asia Biosecurity Dialogue, a series of Track II dialogues co-hosted by CHS, contributed to the establishment of the Asia Centre for Health Security.30
Leadership and Key Personnel
Tom Inglesby serves as Director and CEO. He is an internationally recognized expert in health security and former Chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response. He served on the 2016 Working Group assessing US biosecurity for the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.31
Anita Cicero is Deputy Director.32
Caitlin Rivers is a Senior Scholar who leads epidemic preparedness projects with the CDC. She was the founding associate director of the CDC Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics from August 2021 to June 2022.33
Crystal Watson is a Senior Scholar who co-leads epidemic preparedness projects with Rivers.34
Jassi Pannu, MD is a Senior Scholar focusing on AI-biosecurity issues, who has testified before Congress on these topics.35
Funding
CHS receives funding from multiple sources:
Federal Government: The Center was initially funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services in 1998.36 In 2023, it received a $23.5 million five-year award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for epidemic preparedness.37 It also receives funding from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Department of Defense.38
Philanthropic Sources: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation began providing funding to the Center in 2000.39 Coefficient Giving (formerly the Coefficient Giving Project, through Coefficient Giving) has been a major funder, awarding $16 million over three years in January 2017, renewed for $20 million in 2019 and $10 million in 2023.40 Coefficient Giving also recommended a grant of $381,220 to support the Health Security Scholars program and $2,744,000 for the Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative.41
In November 2024, Sentinel Bio advised an external donor to provide $1,076,000 in general support to strengthen pandemic prevention research and advocacy.42
Reception and Impact
Effective Altruism Community Perspective
Within the effective altruism community, CHS has been viewed positively as a high-impact organization for longtermist biosecurity work. A 2020 EA Forum post argued that CHS was "the best donation opportunity" for addressing global catastrophic biological risks, noting that it exceeded a "very high" cost-effectiveness bar and appealed to both broad donors (due to COVID relevance) and effective altruists focused on preventing future catastrophes.43
Founders Pledge has recommended CHS alongside Stanford's Biosecurity Initiative in their report on safeguarding the long-term future.44 The organization's doctoral programs, fully funded by Coefficient Giving, focus on global catastrophic biological risks and health security.45
Policy Influence
CHS has influenced major policy decisions, including the US government's procurement of smallpox vaccine stockpiles. Following the 9/11 attacks, when CHS identified that US smallpox vaccine stockpiles had expired, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson committed to vaccinating every American, with Congress appropriating $3 billion for biodefense.46
The Center's "JAMA papers" from 1999-2002 provided the first comprehensive US guidance on responding to biological threats and shaped subsequent preparedness programs.47
Criticisms and Controversies
Misinterpretation of SPARS Pandemic Report
In 2017, CHS published "The SPARS Pandemic 2025-2028," a self-guided exercise scenario for exploring hypothetical pandemic response challenges. Social media posts falsely claimed this report predicted a 2025 pandemic and linked it to the 2019 Event 201 simulation, implying premeditated planning of COVID-19. Fact-checking organizations have deemed these claims false, noting the report is an exercise scenario, not a forecast.48
Event 201 Timing
Event 201's simulation of a coronavirus pandemic in 2019, months before COVID-19 emerged, led some to question whether the exercise demonstrated foreknowledge. However, the exercise was part of CHS's longstanding work on pandemic preparedness and reflected expert consensus about the likelihood of a coronavirus pandemic.49
Biosecurity Policy Debates
In December 2025 congressional testimony, Jassi Pannu highlighted insufficient emphasis on societal-scale risks in defining biosafety levels, which could lead to under-tiering pandemic-capable pathogens. Pannu called for harmonizing NIH and CDC policies and governing the gene synthesis supply chain to prevent bioweapons development or accidents.50 These recommendations reflect ongoing debates about balancing scientific freedom with biosecurity concerns.
CHS's 2021 report "National Priorities to Combat Misinformation and Disinformation for COVID-19 and Future Public Health Threats" advocated for a US national strategy to address health misinformation, which could raise concerns among free speech advocates, though no explicit backlash was noted in available sources.51
Educational Programs
CHS offers doctoral programs focused on health security:
Health Security PhD Track: A full-time, in-person program focused on global catastrophic biological risks, fully funded by Coefficient Giving.52
DrPH Track: A part-time, online program for professionals, also supported by Coefficient Giving.53
Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year opened in 2024, with deadlines through SOPHAS by December 1, 2024.54
Key Uncertainties
Several important questions remain about CHS's work and impact:
-
Effectiveness measurement: While CHS has clearly influenced policy decisions like smallpox vaccine stockpiling, quantitative metrics on lives saved or outbreak severity reductions from its work are not readily available.
-
AI biosecurity impact: CHS has become a major voice on AI-biotechnology risks since 2023, but the effectiveness of its proposed governance frameworks remains to be demonstrated.
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Simulation exercise influence: While exercises like Dark Winter and Event 201 raised awareness, the extent to which they improved actual pandemic response capabilities is unclear.
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Funding sustainability: With heavy reliance on Coefficient Giving (over $40 million as of 2022), questions remain about long-term funding diversification.
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International reach: While designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre, the practical impact of CHS's international work compared to its US-focused activities is not well documented.
Sources
Footnotes
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Giving What We Can — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Giving What We Can ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Giving What We Can — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Giving What We Can ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research — Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research — Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research ↩
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Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research — Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Center for Health Security rejoins Bloomberg School of Public Health — Center for Health Security rejoins Bloomberg School of Public Health ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - EA Forum — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - EA Forum ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Biosecurity and Emerging Threats Research - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health — Biosecurity and Emerging Threats Research - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health ↩
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Biosecurity and Emerging Threats Research - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health — Biosecurity and Emerging Threats Research - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health ↩
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Biosecurity and Emerging Threats Research - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health — Biosecurity and Emerging Threats Research - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Giving What We Can — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Giving What We Can ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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AI and biosecurity: The need for governance - PubMed — AI and biosecurity: The need for governance - PubMed ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Jassi Pannu Congressional Testimony — Jassi Pannu Congressional Testimony ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research — Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research ↩
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Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research — Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research ↩
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Epidemic preparedness at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security — Epidemic preparedness at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security ↩
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Epidemic preparedness at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security — Epidemic preparedness at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security ↩
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Jassi Pannu Congressional Testimony — Jassi Pannu Congressional Testimony ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security awarded $23.5 million CDC grant — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security awarded $23.5 million CDC grant ↩
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Center Research Projects - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health — Center Research Projects - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Coefficient Giving Grant - Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative — Coefficient Giving Grant - Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative ↩
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Sentinel Bio Grant - Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security — Sentinel Bio Grant - Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security ↩
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Fundraising for the Center for Health Security - EA Forum — Fundraising for the Center for Health Security - EA Forum ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - EA Forum Topics — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - EA Forum Topics ↩
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Applications now open for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security doctoral programs - EA Forum — Applications now open for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security doctoral programs - EA Forum ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research — Center for Health Security - Founders Pledge Research ↩
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John Hopkins Center's pandemic preparedness report misinterpreted - Factly — John Hopkins Center's pandemic preparedness report misinterpreted - Factly ↩
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Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia — Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - Wikipedia ↩
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Jassi Pannu Congressional Testimony — Jassi Pannu Congressional Testimony ↩
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Meeting COVID-19 Misinformation and Disinformation Head On — Meeting COVID-19 Misinformation and Disinformation Head On ↩
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Applications now open for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security doctoral programs - EA Forum — Applications now open for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security doctoral programs - EA Forum ↩
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Applications now open for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security doctoral programs - EA Forum — Applications now open for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security doctoral programs - EA Forum ↩
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Applications now open for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security doctoral programs - EA Forum — Applications now open for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security doctoral programs - EA Forum ↩
References
This paper examines the intersection of artificial intelligence and biosecurity, arguing that AI capabilities in biological research create novel risks that require dedicated governance frameworks. It analyzes how AI tools could be misused to design pathogens or accelerate bioweapon development, and calls for regulatory and policy responses to manage these dual-use dangers.
“Governments should evaluate advanced models and if needed impose safety measures.”
The source does not mention CHS (Center for Health Security) as the author of the paper. The source does not mention the paper being published in *Science*. The source does not mention policy recommendations on biological data governance, open-source models, export controls, and risk assessment to governments and AI Safety Institutes.
An EA Forum post making a personal case for donating to the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, arguing it is an effective organization working on biosecurity and pandemic preparedness. The author outlines the center's work and why it merits EA community support.
“It seems to me that the John Hopkins Center for Health Security is perhaps the best donation opportunity for both: appealing to non-EAs who want to donate to something COVID-related right now, or in the near future actually being extremely valuable (primarily from a longtermist perspective), whereas many other COVID-related opportunities may be crowded or just perhaps not as cost-effective because the usual EA bar is very, very high”
This page lists research projects conducted by a center within the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Quantitative Health Sciences department. It serves as a directory of ongoing and completed public health research initiatives, likely spanning epidemiology, biostatistics, and health policy topics.
This EA Forum topic page aggregates discussions and posts related to the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, a leading research institution focused on biosecurity, pandemic preparedness, and health security policy. It serves as a reference point for EA community engagement with JHCHS research and initiatives relevant to existential and global catastrophic biological risks.
“JHCHS is one of the four organizations recommended by Founders Pledge in their cause report on safeguarding the long-term future .”
WRONG ATTRIBUTION: The source states that Founders Pledge recommends CHS, but does not mention Stanford's Biosecurity Initiative. UNSUPPORTED: The source does not mention doctoral programs or Coefficient Giving.
“As of May 2022, JHCHS has received over $40 million in grants from Open Philanthropy .”
The source states that the Center received over $40 million in grants from Open Philanthropy, not Coefficient Giving.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (CHS) is a leading independent research organization focused on pandemic prevention, biosecurity, and global health emergency preparedness. Listed on Giving What We Can under 'Reducing Global Catastrophic Risks,' CHS conducts policy research, publishes peer-reviewed work, and advises policymakers on biological threats and health security. It represents a philanthropic avenue for those concerned with catastrophic biological risks.
“The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (CHS) conducts independent research and analysis aimed at preventing and responding to public health crises.”
The claim states that CHS is an 'independent, nonprofit research organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.' The source only mentions affiliation with Johns Hopkins University, not the Bloomberg School of Public Health. The claim mentions 'high-profile simulation exercises,' but the source only mentions 'tabletop exercises.'
“CHS’s mission is to “protect people’s health from epidemics and disasters and ensure that communities are resilient to major challenges.””
“The Pandemic Prevention Program aims to fortify global health by conducting pioneering research and policy analysis to enhance preparedness and response to infectious diseases and public health crises.”
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security received a five-year $23.5 million CDC grant to enhance public health infrastructure through data-driven epidemic preparedness tools. The project will build partnerships with public health stakeholders nationwide and train professionals in modeling and analytics for epidemic response. It is part of the CDC's Outbreak Analytics and Disease Modeling Network, established in response to COVID-19.
“The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security has received a five-year $23.5 million award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics to conduct an epidemic preparedness project as part of the CDC’s multisite Outbreak Analytics and Disease Modeling Network.”
The claim that the Center was initially funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services in 1998 is unsupported by the provided source. The claim that the Center receives funding from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Department of Defense is unsupported by the provided source.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, originally founded at JHU in 1998, rejoined the Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2017 after 14 years of affiliation with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The center focuses on protecting public health from epidemics and disasters through research and policy recommendations. This institutional move was intended to expand the center's reach in global health policy and research.
“Leadership at both the center and the Bloomberg School said they hope that collaboration on current health challenges such as Zika, Ebola, antibiotic resistance, refugee health needs, and the effects of climate change will lead to greater advances against these leading threats.”
unsupported unsupported
8Applications now open for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security doctoral programs - EA ForumEA Forum·BiosecurityMaven23·2024·Blog post▸
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is accepting applications for two Open Philanthropy-funded doctoral programs at Bloomberg School of Public Health: a full-time PhD track focusing on Global Catastrophic Biological Risks and a part-time online DrPH track for working professionals in public health emergency leadership. Applications are due December 1, 2024.
“Applications are now open for the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security's two doctoral degree tracks for the 2025-2026 academic year, which provide advanced training in health security and pandemic response and preparedness at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.”
The source states that funding is provided by Open Philanthropy, not Coefficient Giving. The source does not mention Founders Pledge or Stanford's Biosecurity Initiative.
“Full-time, In-person Health Security PhD Track : This program focuses on Global Catastrophic Biological Risks (GCBRs). Full funding is available for selected students.”
The funding is provided by Open Philanthropy, not Coefficient Giving.
“Part-Time, Online Health Security DrPH Track : Designed for working professionals, this program supports leadership and practice in public health emergencies.”
The source mentions that funding for the DrPH track is provided by Open Philanthropy, not Coefficient Giving.
Factly fact-checks a viral social media claim that Johns Hopkins University predicted a pandemic in 2025. The claim misrepresents the 2017 SPARS Pandemic 2025-2028 report, which is a hypothetical self-guided exercise scenario for pandemic preparedness, not a prediction. The article concludes the claim is false.
“The John Hopkins Center for Health Security published this report in 2017, intending it for self-guided exercises to examine potential challenges that could arise in a pandemic. However, this report has been misinterpreted as forecasting a potential outbreak in 2025.”
Coefficient Giving's Biosecurity & Pandemic Preparedness Fund supports work to guard against catastrophic biological risks, including those amplified by advanced biotechnology and AI. Having made 140+ grants totaling $260+ million, the fund focuses on research, technology, and policy to prevent and mitigate future pandemics, with particular emphasis on technological risks that could cause civilizational-scale harm.
Sentinel Bio advised an external donor to grant $1,076,000 in general support to the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (CHS) for pandemic prevention research and advocacy. The grant aims to strengthen CHS's capacity to inform senior US and international decision-makers on policies enhancing resilience against pandemics and biological risks, including safeguarding advanced biotechnologies.
Dr. Jassi Pannu testifies before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on biosecurity risks from AI applied to biology, providing five concrete legislative recommendations. She emphasizes targeted risk assessment for high-risk biological AI models, tracking LLMs and autonomous systems, formalizing biological data controls, modernizing NIH biosafety oversight for AI-designed agents, and legislating de novo gene synthesis. The testimony frames proactive biosecurity governance as both life-saving and economically beneficial.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is a leading research and policy organization focused on biological threats, pandemic preparedness, and health security. It conducts research, policy analysis, and public education to strengthen global responses to infectious disease outbreaks and other health emergencies. The center is relevant to AI safety discussions around biosecurity and catastrophic biological risks.
This Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health resource addresses strategies for combating COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation, examining how false information spreads and what public health institutions can do to counter it. It explores the intersection of information integrity, public trust, and health communication during a global crisis.
“The Center for Health Security’s new report, National Priorities to Combat Misinformation and Disinformation for COVID-19 and Future Public Health Threats: A Call for a National Strategy , offers a comprehensive plan for a national approach to stamping out mis- and disinformation.”
Founders Pledge evaluation of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security as a potential donation target, assessing its work on biosecurity, pandemic preparedness, and global catastrophic biological risks. The research examines the organization's effectiveness, focus areas, and impact in reducing biological threats that could pose existential or civilizational risks.
“CHS focuses on reducing biological risk by: 7 Conducting research and analysis on major health security issues. Engaging with scholars, the policymaking community and the private sector. Advocating for stronger health security policies at the local, national and international level. Convening working groups, conferences and congressional seminars, including interviews and op-eds in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, The New Yorker, Vox, UKTelegraph, The Hill, Science, Nature and The Atlantic. 8 Educating the next generation of scholars, practitioners and policymakers in the field.”
The claim that the Center provides policy recommendations to governments worldwide including the United States Government, the European Union, and the United Nations Biological Weapons Convention is not explicitly stated in the source. The source mentions that CHS experts have advised officials at several national and international organizations, including the White House, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Economic Forum. It also states that CHS is a trusted source of independent advice to the US government and is developing relationships with government partners in other key countries. However, it does not specifically mention providing policy recommendations to the European Union or the United Nations Biological Weapons Convention. The claim that the Center is designated an official Collaborating Centre of the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization is not explicitly stated in the source.
“Between 1999 and 2002, CHS published the “ JAMA papers ”, which provided seminal guidance for the medical and institutional response to anthrax, smallpox, plague, botulinum and Ebola. Prior to this, the US government lacked any guidance on these issues. Through its research and advocacy work, foundational recommendations made by CHS were incorporated into the US Hospital Preparedness Program, as well as US programs and national strategies on bio-surveillance, medical countermeasure development, and pandemic planning and response.”
The source does not mention that President Bill Clinton supported the proposal to procure 40 million doses of stockpiled smallpox vaccine. The source does not mention that the recommendations were subsequently incorporated into bio-surveillance systems, countermeasures development, and pandemic planning. It only mentions that the recommendations were incorporated into the US Hospital Preparedness Program.
“CHS is led by Professor Tom Inglesby , whose work is internationally recognized in the field of health security. He is a recent former Chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and, among other roles, was on the 2016 Working Group assessing US biosecurity on behalf of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.”
This resource covers the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security's work on epidemic and pandemic preparedness, focusing on research, policy recommendations, and institutional efforts to improve global health security. It highlights the Center's role in analyzing biological risks and strengthening response infrastructure to prevent and mitigate large-scale disease outbreaks.
“Rivers returned to the Center for Health Security last year after serving as the CDC's Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics founding associate director from August 2021 to June 2022.”
“The project is led by Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security senior scholars Caitlin Rivers and Crystal Watson.”
This page outlines the biosecurity and emerging threats research program at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Department of Environmental Health and Engineering. The program focuses on understanding and mitigating risks from biological threats, including natural pandemics, bioterrorism, and engineered pathogens. It represents an institutional hub for public health-oriented biosecurity science and policy.
“COPEWELL: A Conceptual Framework and System Dynamics Model for Predicting Community Functioning and Resilience After Disasters”
“The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is working to analyze and deepen scientific dialogue regarding potential global catastrophic biological risks (GCBRs) , in a continuation of its mission to reduce the consequences of epidemics and disasters. Because GCBRs constitute an emerging policy concern and area of practice, we have developed a framework to guide our work. We invited experts from a variety of disciplines to engage with our underlying concepts and assumptions to refine collective thinking on GCBRs and thus advance protections against them.”
“Scarce Resource Allocation During Disasters: A Mixed Method Community Engagement Study During a catastrophe, health-care providers may face difficult questions regarding who will receive limited life-saving resources. The ethical principles that should guide decision-making have been considered by expert panels but have not been well explored with the public or front-line clinicians. The objective of this study was to characterize the public’s values regarding how scarce mechanical ventilators should be allocated during an influenza pandemic, with the ultimate goal of informing a statewide scare resource allocation framework.”