Global Health Institute

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the necessity for decision-makers and mathematical modelers alike to have readily-accessible repositories of policies relevant to infectious disease outbreaks. Across the United States and around the world, leaders often delayed critical decisions due to uncertainty about their legal authority – or, in some cases, made decisions that were later challenged in court. At the same time, mathematical modelers tasked to predict potential outcomes of disease outbreaks in particular areas were often unable to account for current and future policies in their simulations due to the lack of available policy information.

To address the knowledge gap identified during COVID-19, the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science and Security (CGHSS) developed Analysis and Mapping of Policies for Emerging Infectious Diseases (AMP for EID), a groundbreaking tool that could transform the response to outbreaks of infectious disease.

​What Is AMP for EID?

AMP for EID, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, is an online public database that consolidates policy information from 193 United Nations member states. It catalogues national legislation, regulations, and international agreements relevant to pandemic preparedness and response. By standardizing this information, the tool empowers policymakers to act decisively during health emergencies.

The tool is built on the innovative framework of “policy epidemiology,” which merges policy analysis and epidemiological modeling. Pioneered by CGHSS, this approach catalogs policies and assesses how they impact disease dynamics, enabling researchers and governments to understand what works and why.

Why Does It Matter?

AMP for EID provides first-of-its-kind open-access data on existing laws and agreements to decision-makers and modelers to facilitate modeling that accounts for the legal frameworks in place across contexts and supports timely decision-making during health emergencies. Rebecca Katz, Ph.D., MPH, director of CGHSS and a professor in the Georgetown University School of Medicine and School of Foreign Service, explains that having easily accessible policy information allows priorities to be placed on more immediate needs.

“Policies shape how we prevent, prepare for, and respond to health challenges. By making policy data accessible and actionable, the focus can be on implementing solutions, not deciphering regulations.”

The AMP for EID tool extends beyond outbreak scenarios, offering insights for outbreak prevention and policy planning. For example, analyzing enforcement mechanisms in childhood vaccination policies across 193 UN member states can identify countries at higher risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Likewise, identifying countries likely to deploy military assets during health crises can enhance preparedness through targeted training. By housing datasets that address these scenarios, AMP for EID strengthens global health security.

​Expanding Datasets and Analyses

The research team, which includes graduate students, undergraduate research assistants, senior research associates, postdoctoral fellows, and CGHSS faculty, recently launched new datasets related to military engagement and quarantine and isolation authorities, with plans to add new topics related to animal health management and biosecurity within the next year. In addition, the team began preliminary causal analyses examining the effects of these policies on infectious disease outbreaks.

To learn more about this work, visit the AMP for EID website or reach out to the research team at globalhealthsecurity@georgetown.edu.