 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Thomas May, PhD, Center for the Study of Bioethics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, 414/456-8451, tmay@mcw.edu
The ‘War on Terror’ in the aftermath of Sept. 11th has resulted in a number of government actions that are controversial for their perceived threat to civil liberties. In the Health arena, the most controversial is the Model State Emergency Health Powers Act (MEHPA), a model law (currently under consideration in a number of states) that is designed to facilitate response to a bio-terror attack. The Model Act has been criticized both by conservatives and liberals for potential violation of civil liberties. In this presentation, I propose to examine both the need for emergency health powers legislation, and criticisms of the MEHPA as a model for such legislation. It is my opinion that such legislation is advisable, for two related reasons: First, our political system has long recognized the need to restrict civil liberties when such restriction is necessary to prevent significant harm to the public at large; second, how these liberties should and should not be restricted for the purposes just mentioned should not be left for consideration at the time a public health emergency arises. An outline for restriction of civil liberties should be publicly debated, then recognized through the official sanction of the legislative process.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Bioterrorism, Politics
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.