“Over the years, Washington put more emphasis on fighting predictable problems, like the seasonal flu, and outright aggression in the form of chemical, biological and radiological terrorism.
Sandro Galea, dean of Boston University’s School of Public Health, said people like him have been hamstrung in the debate.
"Public health has been on the defensive," Galea said. "There's been no space except for talk of bioterrorism. The discussion about investing in the public health system has been utterly sidelined."