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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Bruce Joy Plotkin, JD, LLM, WHO,Technical Officer (Legal), World Health Organization, Dept. of Epidemic & Pandemic Alert & Response, International Health Regulations, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Genève 27, Suisse, Switzerland, +41 22 791 1280, plotkinb@who.int

Over ten years in the making, the revised International Health Regulations (2005) enter into force on 15 June 2007. The breadth of coverage of the IHR (2005) guarantees that its provisions will be applicable to vast numbers of travellers every year undertaking voyages across international borders. A key feature of the new Regulations is the inclusion of a variety of obligations specifically addressing protections for international travellers in the context of application of medical or health measures. These new provisions include, for example: (1) the principle that the implementation of the IHR (2005) shall be with "full respect for the dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons"; (2) the requirement of an express right of refusal prior to a medical examination, vaccination, prophylaxis or other health measure being carried out on the traveller (with certain exceptions); and (3) obligations concerning appropriate treatment of travellers, including treatment with courtesy and respect, consideration of gender, ethnic, sociocultural or religious concerns, and provision/arrangement of adequate food, water, accommodations, clothing and medical treatment for those subjected to quarantine, isolation or other procedures for public health purposes. Some other provisions protective of the interests of individuals in the current IHR (1969) have also been revised and carried over, such as the limitations on charges to travellers for health measures carried out on them for public health purposes. This presentation will describe and discuss these key international legal provisions.

Learning Objectives: