Fall 2004 Issue
Launch of Institute of Public Health Law
Public health crises often raise complex legal issues. For instance, how are financial concerns addressed for people quarantined for SARS? Does standard business insurance cover an anthrax attack, or an emerging disease? If smallpox vaccines must be rapidly administered to ward off a bioterrorism attack, or pet stores are closed down because of a monkeypox outbreak, what compensation and liability issues may arise?
To help CDC and other public health groups effectively address complicated questions like these, the CDC Foundation has teamed up with Gene Matthews, J.D., former CDC legal advisor and internationally recognized public health law expert, to launch the Institute of Public Health Law. Assessing the legal implications of implementing public health practices and interventions is essential and can require multiple areas of legal expertise says Matthews. The Institute will complement CDC’s established Public Health Law Program and focus on areas that are more easily handled in the private sector through outreach, training and research.
“We want to build bridges with new potential partners such as the business community, academia, non-profit organizations and the legal profession,” says Matthews. “We’ll also develop cutting-edge training and information for public health personnel and coordinate research among various academic settings.”
The Institute will initially focus on five areas:
- Creating a network of international public health law experts to promote professional collaboration and communication around urgent public health issues and emergency preparedness
- Conducting outreach to businesses in the United States and abroad to explore shared interests and concerns about public health law and emergency preparedness
- Addressing community development issues and “smart growth” practices including zoning policies, traffic congestion and other environmental policies
- Developing training tools to educate public health professionals about how law is used in a public health crisis
- Coordinating research about the growing impact of communications technology on public health law and policies during emergencies, especially given today’s media-driven culture
“We need to connect people and make sure they’re taking necessary steps – in advance – to keep legal issues from impeding necessary public health practices,” says Matthews. “The Institute will offer very practical ways of adding value to the practice of public health law at the grassroots level.”
-Lisa Splitlog
The CDC Foundation is currently seeking financial support for the Institute of Public Health Law, which will become an operating arm of the Foundation. To learn more about how to support this new initiative, please contact Adelia Thompson at 404-653-0790 or alt7@cdc.gov. For more information about the Institute’s activities, contact Gene Matthews, 404-651-4158 or MatthewsPHLaw@aol.com.