Publications Details

Supporting Risk-Based Decision-Making to Minimize Facility-Associated Re-Introduction of Poliovirus: Phase I

Burnett, LouAnn C.; Ritterson, Ryan

Sandia National Laboratories and Gryphon Scientific, as supported and directed by the CDC Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR), studied the process of risk assessment and risk-based decision-making in facilities expected to continue possessing poliovirus strains. The first phase of the study was conducted in anticipation of developing a tool to support decision-making processes for poliovirus containment to minimize the risk of facility-associated re-introduction of poliovirus. The study results supported the starting assumption that risk management of poliovirus will be aided by more rigorous and consistent risk assessment and that experience-based risk assessment is, by itself, inadequate to understand risk in a post-eradication world. These results were derived from review of polio virus literature, oversight documents, current and expected practices, and from discussions with affected facilities. Based on these results and on additional discussions with facilities, the study team recommends development of a quantitative risk assessment tool as well as improving access to and the quality of data for informing risk-based decision-making.