Prevention, preparedness, and wellness.

Iwould like to take this opportunity in this final issue of 2009 to underscore the insightful observations made by the newly appointed Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Dr Nicole Lurie, in recognizing the essential links between prevention, wellness, and preparedness. It is generally known and widely accepted that even though the United States spends more than $2 trillion annually on health care, tens of millions of Americans continue to suffer from preventable injuries and diseases and major vulnerabilities still exist in the nation’s preparedness to respond to public health emergencies.