In April 2000, the Institute of Medicine convened a committee at the request of Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (GEIS) management to evaluate the progress of GEIS, still in the early stages of development.

During the course of the review, the committee received presentations, considered plans and other background documents, and made site visits to DoD medical research laboratories in the U.S. and abroad to meet with DoD staff involved in GEIS project activities, as well as collaborators.