NOAA Response to:“One Ocean, One Health: “One Ocean, One Health:

NOAA in the Lead” NOAA in the Lead”

A Report from the NOAA Science Advisory Board’s Ocean Health

Working Group

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Paul A. Sandifer, Ph.D.Senior Science Advisor to the NOAA Administrator

NOS Senior Scientist for Coastal Ecology

March 9, 2011

BackgroundBackground

The OHWG was convened by the SAB in March 2009, at the request of the NOS, to review and provide advice on how to better define NOAA’s role and actions to enhance ongoing and future human and organism health-related science and management efforts.

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OHWG Charge QuestionsOHWG Charge Questions1) What are NOAA’s unique and important scientific roles in

addressing ocean health issues?

2) What are the right ocean health science questions, products and services for NOAA?

3) Are there additional ocean health science issues that should be included in the NOAA research portfolio? If so, what are these?

4) What are the appropriate steps for NOAA to incorporate and advance ocean health as part of its core mission?

5) How could NOAA more systematically develop ocean health products and services to enhance ecosystem, organism, human, and community health?

6) How can NOAA better integrate among its major programs, including activities conducted within the agency and those supported in the external community, to better define and assess ocean health issues?

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OHWG MembershipOHWG Membership

• Dr. Lorraine Backer, Centers for Disease Control• Dr. Daniel Baden, University of North Carolina at Wilmington• Dr. Shannon Briggs, Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality• Dr. Thomas Chandler, University of South Carolina• Dr. Rita Colwell , University of Maryland• Dr. David Fluharty, University of Washington• Dr. Frances Gulland, The Marine Mammal Center• Dr. Frank Kudrna, Jr., Kudrna & Associates• Dr. David Letson, University of Miami• Dr. Carolyn Thoroughgood, University of Delaware• Dr. Stephen Weisberg, Southern California Coastal Water

Research Project (Chair)

SAB Action On OHWG SAB Action On OHWG ReportReport

“At our March 2010 meeting the SAB approved the OHWG Report as advice to NOAA on implementation of its critical engagements in human health and organism health -- both within NOAA and among its many Partners. NOAA has a clear leadership role based on its unique qualifications to monitor certain aspects of the marine environment and to provide forecasts of conditions that potentially affect human and organism health.” 

“The NOAA SAB encourages you [Dr. Lubchenco] and NOAA to take these recommendations seriously and to implement them as soon as possible. It is pointed out that these concerns belong in NOAA’s Next Generation strategic planning at the national level as well as at the regional level.”

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From OHWGReport, page 11

OHWG FindingsOHWG Findings

1: There is urgent need for action.

2: NOAA is well positioned to meet this need.

3: NOAA has a diverse health portfolio, but the pieces need to be linked together to form a more comprehensive, coordinated program.

4: NOAA needs to better quantify and communicate the benefits of its investments in health-related activities.

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OHWG RecommendationsOHWG Recommendations

1: NOAA should establish health protection, preservation and enhancement as an agency-wide goal.

2: NOAA should develop a comprehensive plan for its health program.

3: NOAA should focus initially on several priority projects.

- Forecasts of impending threats

- Surveillance systems

- Climate change effects

- Health benefits from the sea8

Rec. 1: Health Should Be An Rec. 1: Health Should Be An Agency-Wide GoalAgency-Wide Goal

“NOAA should acknowledge that identification and protection of ocean-health linkages are critical to the agency’s core mission and commit at the highest administrative level to a national leadership role appropriate to the agency unique skill sets and capabilities. NOAA’s Next Generation Strategic Plan provides an opportunity for the agency to incorporate health concerns into the agency’s mission in a meaningful way. The newly formed Climate Service will also allow NOAA to highlight products useful to individuals who must make decisions on the long-term effects of climate change on health of humans and organisms.”

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Action1.1: “Health” in the Action1.1: “Health” in the NGSPNGSP

• Connections between human health and well being and the health and resilience of natural ecosystems noted throughout the NGSP

• Incorporates stronger focus on health risks and benefits than any previous strategic plan, with four times more use of terms such as human and public health, health and healthy

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Action 1.1: “Health” in the Action 1.1: “Health” in the NGSPNGSP

Four overarching goals:1. Climate Adaptation & Mitigation

2. Weather-Ready Nation

3. Healthy Oceans

4. Resilient Coastal Communities & Economies

Health references in all four but strongest in 2 and 4.

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Action 1.1: “Health” in the Action 1.1: “Health” in the NGSPNGSP

Weather-Ready Nation: NOAA has unique ability to combine weather, climate, ocean and coastal information to develop integrated environmental predictions to improve community and ecosystem health.

Resilient Coastal Communities: NOAA will examine transport and fate of chemicals, nutrients, sediments, pathogens, harmful algal blooms, toxins and marine debris and predict health threats to marine ecosystems and humans.

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Action 1.1: “Health” in the Action 1.1: “Health” in the NGSPNGSP

Healthy Oceans: NOAA will reduce health hazards to humans and animals from seafood contaminated with HAB toxins, chemicals, and pathogens and improve recognition of health benefits from consumption of high quality seafood.

Science & Technology Enterprise: NOAA’s capabilities in environmental monitoring, modeling, and prediction would support development of ocean health early warning systems.

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Action 1.2: “Health” in the AGM

• NOAA will work with other agencies and partners to increase understanding of and ways to mitigate DWH spill impacts on human health and well being.

• NOAA should pursue capabilities to forecast high-impact events such as tornados, hurricanes, floods, air quality, winter storms, tsunami, and ocean health-related threats from harmful algal blooms, chemical contaminants, and pathogens.

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Action 1.3: Strengthen Action 1.3: Strengthen Strategic PartnershipsStrategic Partnerships

NOAA has developed new or enhanced partnerships in four key health areas:

• One Health

• Public Health

• Climate Change

• DWH Spill – Health Issues

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Action 1.3: Strengthen Action 1.3: Strengthen Strategic PartnershipsStrategic Partnerships

• One Health– Re-invigorated cross-NOAA One Health team– One Health approach in climate adaptation planning– One Health integrated into USGCRP strategic planning– Leading interagency One Health discussions via IWG-4H– Working with WHO, CDC , NIH, academic and state

partners re zoonotic diseases – Engaging with USGS, USFWS, USDA on shared data

systems & displays for monitoring fish & wildlife health– In discussion with USAID re integrating ocean, climate, &

marine mammal health data into their global program

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Action 1.3: Strengthen Action 1.3: Strengthen Strategic PartnershipsStrategic Partnerships

• Public Health– Local, state and national public health agencies including CDC

and NIH within the DHHS and APHA– MOU with NIH Fogarty Int’l Center for biodiscovery work– Broad MOU with CDC for research, training, data sharing, etc.– NWS-CDC joint messaging effort re health issues– NWS, WHO and OHHI integrate NOAA data into WHO global

information system for health forecasts– OHHI and WHO on climate change impact on water facilities– OHHI and WHO on graduate training opportunities– Sea Grant connecting NOAA and partner health researchers

to public health community– Numerous other activities/discussions involving NOS, NWS,

OAR, NMFS, and with many state, federal, and international agencies and the academic community.

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Action 1.3: Strengthen Action 1.3: Strengthen Strategic PartnershipsStrategic Partnerships

• Climate Change– National assessments of climate change impacts, including health;

advice to DHHS and others– NOAA OHHI co-led development of IWG on Climate Change and

Human Health; it produced 1st comprehensive report on research needs related to human health effects of climate change. formal IWGCCH established under USGCRP, with NOAA as co-chair

– NOAA OHHI, NWS, and NESDIS partnering with CDC-sponsored Environmental Public Health Tracking Network with states, including coastal health threats and heat waves

– Chaired or co-chaired numerous climate change-OHH sessions at national science meetings (AAAS, APHA, NCSE)

– NOAA MMHSRP partnering with federal, state, tribal and academic partners re climate change effects on marine mammals

– OAR established RISA on climate and urban health; numerous activities by Sea Grant on climate adaptation 18

Action 1.3: Strategic Action 1.3: Strategic PartnershipsPartnerships

• DWH Oil Spill Response – Health Issues– NOAA has engaged broadly in seafood safety, marine

mammal health assessments, coordination with NIEHS on longitudinal study of 55,000 people involved in response and clean-up, and ensuring NOAA maintains readiness to respond to health issues that may arise for natural or man-made disasters.

– Involved in multiple partner work regarding analytic methods for dispersants and other contaminants and impacts to health risks

– NOAA proposed integrated ecosystem – marine mammal – human health risk assessment

– Sea Grant has worked across the spectrum to engage and inform partners, stakeholders, constituents and the public regarding a wide-range of potential spill-related environmental, animal, and human health issues

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2. Comprehensive Plan For 2. Comprehensive Plan For NOAA’s Health ProgramNOAA’s Health Program

NOAA should develop a comprehensive plan for its health programs that:

• Ties its health efforts to other federal agencies with complementary skills in environmental and public health;

• Is based on a systematic risk characterization of health benefits and threats;

• Includes transitioning of research to applications;

• Creates a coordinating entity for health-related efforts across the agency; and

• Provides funding for the OHHI commensurate with the plan (initial recommendation of level authorized in OHH Act).

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Action 2.1: Develop Comprehensive Action 2.1: Develop Comprehensive “One Ocean, One Health” Plan for NOAA“One Ocean, One Health” Plan for NOAA

Step 1: Engaged effectively in ongoing planning efforts including the President’s National Ocean Policy, the NGSP, the AGM, strategic plans in several Line Offices, and the IWGCCHH. Resulted in specific health priorities identified for NOAA.

Step 2: Re-invigorated cross-NOAA One Health Working Group.

Step 3 (Proposed): Formalize the One Health Working Group, led by the NOS Senior Scientist and OHHI, as a primary coordination and communication mechanism.

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Action 2.2: Characterize Ocean Health Action 2.2: Characterize Ocean Health Risks and Benefits Risks and Benefits

1. Proposed: Fund Distinguished Scholar(s) to characterize risk, benefits, & economics.

2. Proposed: One or more of the OHHI Centers of Excellence undertake regional pilot study(ies) to acquire economic and risk data.

3. Proposed: Work with internal and external partners and NOAA’s Social Science Committee to leverage resources to support.

4. Build on pilots and partnerships advanced by other LOs for ocean-health related research, communication, and services.

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Action 2.3: Use the OHHI Action 2.3: Use the OHHI for Cross NOAA Coordinationfor Cross NOAA Coordination

• OHHI has specific authorization under the OHH Act of 2004 for health activities, both within NOAA and with external partners

• Has strong history of effective cross-NOAA operations and partnering

• Widely recognized within NOAA, by other agencies, and in academia as credible, dependable partner and effective leader

• Overseen at a relatively high level• Improve administrative efficiency by aligning with

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science 23

Action 2.4: Increase Funding Action 2.4: Increase Funding for the OHHIfor the OHHI

• The President’s FY12 budget proposal includes a significant increase for the OHHI – from $1M to $2M

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3. Near-Term Focus on 3. Near-Term Focus on Priority ProjectsPriority Projects

1. Forecasts of impending threats: NOAA should extend its skills in forecasting to predict emerging diseases, pathogens, toxins, and contaminants likely to have an impact on health.

2. Surveillance systems for pathogens, contaminants and toxins: NOAA should be the lead agency for surveillance of ocean organismal physiological health, as well as mitigation of factors causing change in health.

3. Climate change effects on health: NOAA should identify the ocean-related health impacts from climate change … and… characterize the impacts of climate change on water supplies.

4. Health benefits from the sea: NOAA should make human health benefits from the ocean more accessible by encouraging and supporting the development of healthful seafood and other ocean-derived products … including nutritional additives and pharmaceuticals.

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3.1: Forecasts3.1: Forecasts

1. Forecasts of impending threats: NOAA should extend its skills in forecasting to predict emerging diseases, pathogens, toxins, and contaminants likely to have an impact on health.

The NOAA response document lists numerous projects dealing with ecological forecasts, sentinel indicators such as dolphins and tidal creeks, and development of marine sensors related to a variety of ocean health threats including harmful algal blooms, pathogens, and chemical contaminants in all regions of the country including the Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, the Northeast, the Mid- and South Atlantic, and the Pacific Northwest.

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3.2: Surveillance Systems3.2: Surveillance Systems

2. Surveillance systems for pathogens, contaminants and toxins: NOAA should be the lead agency for surveillance of ocean organismal physiological health, as well as mitigation of factors causing change in health.

The NOAA Response numerous examples of surveillance strategy development by several NOAA entities in NOS, NWS, NMFS, OAR and in partnership with the CDC, NIH, NIEHS, Department of Veteran’s Affairs, WHO, GEOSS, USAID, and academia.

NOAA is also developing enhanced diagnostic capabilities to distinguish between Leptospirosis (an infectious disease) and domoic acid poisoning (a HAB toxin) in sea lions, identifying DNA markers for ciaguatoxin (another HAB toxin) exposure, supporting a range of sensor development projects in NOS, OAR, and the external community, planning several workshops to identify health research, data and other needs and to support the National Climate Assessment, responding to marine mammal health emergencies and seafood safety issues, and much more! 27

3.3: Climate Change3.3: Climate Change

3. Climate change effects on health: NOAA should identify the ocean-related health impacts from climate change … and… characterize the impacts of climate change on water supplies.

Examples of NOAA’s growing interest in climate change impacts on ocean health

NWS - emphasis on water resources, drought prediction, and water cycle to improve abilities to forecast and protect ecosystem and human health.

OAR - effects of ocean acidification on the health of marine organisms and associated implications for humans.

NMFS - potential increases in duration of HAB events due to climate change.

NOS and OAR - integrating climate change scenarios into storm-water runoff models to evaluate effects on health of coastal ecosystems including humans.

All NOAA - Implementation of the National Ocean Policy will necessitate that NOAA address climate change effects related to ocean condition and health risks.

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3.4: Health Benefits3.4: Health Benefits

4. Health benefits from the sea: NOAA should make human health benefits from the ocean more accessible by encouraging and supporting the development of healthful seafood and other ocean-derived products … including nutritional additives and pharmaceuticals.

With the exception of seafood-safety related efforts, especially during the DWH spill, this is an area that has received less attention during the last couple of years due to funding constraints. However, the OHHI has funded several small grants in the biodiscovery arena and has recently partnered with the NIH Fogarty Center’s International Conservation and Bioprospecting Group to leverage our limited resources with those of other agencies. OAR is supporting a new CI for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology that is also likely to include some biodiscovery work, and the OER has contributed to biodiscovery science.

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3.4: Health Benefits3.4: Health Benefits

4. Health benefits from the sea: NOAA should make human health benefits from the ocean more accessible by encouraging and supporting the development of healthful seafood and other ocean-derived products … including nutritional additives and pharmaceuticals.

With the exception of DWH-related seafood-safety efforts, this area has received less attention recently due to funding constraints.

OHHI has funded several small biodiscovery grants

OHHI partnered with the NIH Fogarty Center’s International Conservation and Bioprospecting Group to leverage limited resources

OAR is supporting a new CI for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology that is also likely to include some biodiscovery work

OER and Sea Grant have contributed to biodiscovery science.

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Summary Summary

• NOAA was pleased with the guidance provided by the SAB’s OHWG and is very actively responding to its recommendations. Results include: – The NGSP and AGM incorporate strong “health” references– OHHI recommended for increase in FY12 President’s Budget– Established cross-NOAA One Health Working Group– Substantially increased and enhanced health partnerships &

demonstrated NOAA leadership in numerous forums– Conducting a broad suite of projects in OHWG-recommended areas – Proposing to undertake risk characterization and economic studies– Endorsed the OHHI as internal coordinating lead for NOAA’s portfolio

of health programs,– Initiating development of a comprehensive “One NOAA, One Health”

plan via workshop modeled on the successful Science Workshop33

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Thanks!