Safeguarding Public Health

As HHS pursues its mission of enhancing the health and well-being of all Americans, there are challenges to ensuring public health and safety. These include opioid abuse and misuse, risks associated with public health emergencies caused by communicable diseases and natural disasters, dangers from unsafe food, and medical devices vulnerable to cyberattacks. To best serve the American public, the Department must leverage the skills and tools it has at its disposal to reduce the ill-effects of opioid use disorders (OUDs) through prevention, treatment, and recovery support, prioritize emergency planning and response, and ensure that food, drugs, and devices are safe. Additionally, Americans rely on HHS to recognize and respond to emerging issues such as concerning trends and evidence of detrimental health impacts associated with the use of e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems ("vaping"). Because challenges to public health are often complex, the Department must ensure that operating divisions coordinate with each other, as well as partners within and outside of Government, to effectively promote public health and safety. (See TMC 6 for more information on the Department's challenge of coordinating with internal and external partners.)