The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

5035.1: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 - 9:30 AM

Abstract #41368

PHAI Secrecy Countermeasures Project

Anthony Robbins, MD, MPA1, Richard A. Daynard, JD, PhD2, Ben Kelley3, Wendy E. Parmet2, and James N. Hyde, MA, SM1. (1) Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, 617 636 0834, Anthony.robbins@tufts.edu, (2) School of Law, Northeastern University, 400 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, (3) Public Health Advocacy Institute, 102 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115

Despite the public purpose of the law and courts, through protective orders, they often serve to protect the secrecy of information that could greatly advance the public health. The Secrecy Countermeasures Project, a joint endeavor of the Public Health Advocacy Institute and our faculties of law and public health, targets manufacturer product-hazard secrecy. We have enlisted Trial Lawyers for Public Justice and the Public Citizen Litigation Group to work with us. We seek to advance useful disclosure in at least three ways: analyze and develop a strategy and model “litigation in the sunshine” laws (Texas and Florida now have such statutes.); examine the opportunity to amend Federal statutes with reporting requirements (Following the Ford-Firestone tire cases the Congress included a new reporting provision in the NHTSA statute.); intervene systematically and strategically to advance public understanding of the benefits of disclosure. We will report on these strategies and progress.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Protection, Public Health Advocacy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Public Health Advocacy Institute: a non-profit joint venture of the law faculty at Northeastern University and the public health faculty at Tufts University.
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: President PHAI

Information for Public Health and Teaching

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA