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CNN Live Today
Interview with Dr. Michael Friedman
Aired March 11, 2002 - 10:57 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: To most Americans, 9-11 was a 911 about all forms of terrorism, including biological and chemical agents. And since that day, the Office of Biomedical Preparedness has been created. And it's primary function is to coordinate the Department of Health and Human Services with the drug industry and other public health systems.
Dr. Michael Friedman is Chief Medical Officer for Biomedical Preparedness. He joins us this morning from Washington. Dr. Friedman is also a former FDA commissioner.
Glad to have you with us this morning.
Dr. Friedman, let's begin first of all with your assessment of what the health care system in this country has learned from the events of 9-11.
DR. MICHAEL FRIEDMAN, BIOMED PREPAREDNESS OFFICER: I think today we're far better prepared than we were six months ago, but we have still a great deal to do. We've learned the value of having a strong, flexible, responsive public health infrastructure, and we've learned the need to have the best science, the best medications, the best knowledge available for whatever risk might arise.
HARRIS: Yes. One thing that I have noticed is that doctors seem to be asking different questions now. You know when patients come in, it seems as though there's an automatic sense that you have to look at things I guess in a different light since September 11.
FRIEDMAN: I think it's been very enlightening for not only physicians but also for nurses, for pharmacists, for other health care providers to ask more information, to elicit certain kinds of signs and symptoms, but it's also been very useful for the American public to become more aware. They really are the guardians of their own health. And this is a collaborative effort between the best health care providers and informed patients.
HARRIS: All right, finally, just -- we have to move on this morning, but I want to talk about a Web site that you have been talking quite a bit about here that offers information for both consumers and health care professionals.
FRIEDMAN: That's right, in the sense that having good information is essential part of our defense, our new Web site, homelandhealth.com, is an up-to-date, authoritative, information- filled Web site. It links to essential government Web sites such as Centers for Disease Control and Health and Human Services. It should answer many questions that the average citizen would ask as well as giving leads to where professionals can go for more information.
HARRIS: That sounds very helpful. That's one word, homelandhealth.com.
Dr. Friedman, thank you very much.
FRIEDMAN: That's correct.
HARRIS: We're a bit short on time this morning, but we do appreciate your patience and we thank you for the information as well.
FRIEDMAN: Bye.
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