threats and help identify areas of vulnerability. TFAH also offers a series of recommendations to further strengthen America's emergency preparedness. In the 2017 report, TFAH concluded that the reduction in federal and state funding for public health over the past 15 years has left many states unprepared to respond to bioterrorism, outbreaks of infectious diseases and natural disasters. The report uses 10 "key indicators" to measure the public health preparedness of each state. For 2017, 25 states received a score of 5 or lower. Nineteen out of 50 states increased public health funding during the 2017 fiscal year. Additionally, at the federal level public health funding has been cut in half since 2002, the report found. Emerging infectious diseases According to a National Intelligence Estimate, "newly emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, many of which are likely to continue to originate overseas, will continue to kill at least 170,000 Americans annually." In Germs Go Global: Why Emerging Infectious Diseases Are a Threat to America, TFAH concludes that these diseases have real consequences for the nation's public health system, delivery of medical care, economy, and national security. References External links Official website Medical and health organizations based in Washington, D.C. Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.