Press Release

Office of the Governor

Governor Martin O'Malley Announces Swine Flu Medical Advisory Board

Six leaders in the medical community to advise Governor, DHMH on necessary actions

 

Media Contacts:
Shaun Adamec Office: 410-974-2316 Cell: 410-919-3206	Christine Hansen Office: 410-974-2316 Cell: 443-336-5270

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 30,2009) – Governor Martin O’Malley today named six individuals to an advisory board to advise him and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on issues related to swine flu in Maryland.  The advisory board has already provided advice and recommendations as the state deals with six “probable” cases swine flu.  Further testing is now being done by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  

“The members of this advisory board represent some of the best minds in medicine, infectious disease and pediatrics and have already provided invaluable advice and guidance,” said Governor O’Malley.  “While we making every preparation we can as a state, the decisions ahead may broadly impact the lives of all Marylanders, and each member of this advisory board brings the scientific, clinical and academic guidance that will be immensely valuable in this decision-making process.  We fully expect to see more cases of swine flu in Maryland, and will continue to provide the public with the latest information possible.” 

The Governor appointed Drs. John G. Bartlett, Frank M. Calia, Thomas V. Inglesby, James P. Nataro, Ina Stephens and Ivan C.A. Walks to the advisory board, who have been working closely with the Governor and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for the past several days. 

Dr. Bartlett is a Professor of Medicine in the division of the Johns Hopkins University School Medicine.  He previously served for 26 years as chief of the Infectious Disease Division at the school.  He has worked in several areas of research, all related to his specialty in infectious diseases.  His major interests at Hopkins have been HIV/AIDS, managed care of patients with HIV infection, and bioterrorism.  In 2005, Dr. Bartlett was awarded the Infectious Diseases Society of America Alexander Fleming Award and the Finland Award from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.  He has authored more than 500 articles and reviews. 

Dr. Calia is chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and professor emeritus of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology at the School of Medicine.  He also served as chief of Medical Services at the Baltimore VA Medical Center.  He has contributed to 10 books and over 50 publications in refereed journals and serves as a reviewer for a number of professional medical journals.  Dr. Calia’s major interests are in infectious diseases, bacterial diarrhea, staphylococcal infections, vibrio infections and clinical pharmacology. 

Dr. Inglesby is the Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Director for the Baltimore-based Center for Biosecurity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.  Board-certified in infectious diseases, he also is associate professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh Schools of Medicine and Public Health.  He was one of the founding members of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies, where he was Deputy Director from 1999-2003.  Dr. Inglesby was a principal designer, author and controller of the widely-recognized Atlantic Storm exercise of 2005 and of the Dark Winter smallpox exercise of 2001. 

Dr. Nataro is a board-certified practitioner in pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases.  He serves as professor of Pediatrics, Medicine and Microbiology, and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.  He also is the Associate Director of the Center for Vaccine Development, Vice Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and head of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Pediatrics.  His research focuses on vaccine development and rapid molecular diagnostic techniques for infectious diseases, including detection of respiratory viruses. 

Dr. Stephens is assistant professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and General Pediatrics, and Associate Program Director of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.  She also serves as program director of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the School of Medicine.  She is board-certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases.  Dr. Stephens is principal investigator in an ongoing research project for an open-label study of intramuscular inactivated influenza a/H5N1 vaccine in health children aged two years to 10 years. 

Dr. Walks is the CEO and President of Ivan Walks and Associates in Montgomery County, a firm that counts among its many accomplishments disaster preparedness training in jurisdictions across the nation.   He is a former Chief Health Officer for the District of Columbia and was the Director of the Department of Public Health for the District.  Dr. Walks was instrumental in establishing a District-wide health policy, and was instrumental in developing proactive programs and interventions that resulted in a twenty percent drop in infant mortality, the lowest rate and unprecedented reduction in the District’s history. 

For more information on the swine flu in Maryland and the latest updates, please visit www.maryland.gov