 Influenza pandemics have emerged throughout history, causing widespread illness, death, and disruption. There have been four influenza pandemics in the past hundred years, and globalization processes, advances in medicine and epidemiology, and human development have altered the way these pandemics are experienced. While progress in infectious disease prevention, control, and treatment has improved our ability to respond to such outbreaks, globalization processes relating to human behavior, demographics, and mobility have increased the threat of pandemic emergence and accelerated global disease transmission. Preparedness planning must continue to evolve to keep pace with this heightened risk, and flexible policies capable of responding to change as such emergencies develop are necessary. This article was authored by Patrick Arsonders Hastings and Daniel Krzewski. We are article.tv, links in the description below.