Public health powers during public health emergencies

The burgeoning threats presented by natural disasters, emerging infectious diseases, and bioterrorism have spurred emergency preparedness efforts around the world. These efforts seek to develop plans, strategies, resources, and expertise to avert public health emergencies from natural and man-made threats. The complexity of these initiatives requires the integration of scientific and medical expertise, good logistical planning, and importantly, clear laws and policies regarding the use of public health powers.

Emergency planners should consider explicitly different governance approaches to strengthen emergency preparedness and response laws and policies and to develop effective, sensible, and humane policies in this area. Varying forms of governance may be employed to better prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. Governance issues may arise in the context of coordination between governments, international agencies, multinational organizations, and other important contributors to a response effort. Therefore, the implications of legal, theoretical, and structural approaches to governance may greatly affect health outcomes and influence the ability of the public health system to successfully respond to public health emergencies.

This presentation will highlight the national and international approaches being considered to address emergency preparedness with a focus on how these approaches utilize public health powers to protect population health during a public health emergency. These issues are particularly important since pandemics and other disasters can be profoundly socially divisive and politically sensitive.