PAHPA does not substantively address privacy worries. The HIPAA Privacy Rule prohibits public health data collections from its protections. Other privacy laws supply a patchwork of protections for national public health data (Hodge, 2007).
National organization of interstate volunteer health professionals throughout emergencies assumes that the legal environment supports their deployment. Competent, registered health care professionals who volunteer to assist for humanitarian purposes deserve protection from liability. "During Hurricane Katrina, thousands of interstate and intrastate volunteer health personnel faced potential legal liability or other risks for their actions depending on the nature of their deployment, their existing employment, and varying laws. Whether real or perceived, the specter of liability hindered the deployment or minimized the utility of skilled volunteers" (Hodge, Gostin & Vernick, 2007).
PAHPA promises new initiatives for the rapid development of biological interventions like vaccines and drugs for highly pathogenic influenza or other health...
The act puts into place a new Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) within DHHS. BARDA is charged with accelerating the development of new products by fostering collaboration, supporting research, encouraging innovation, and offering technical guidance among governmental and private sector entities. By coordinating national efforts and removing some regulatory restraints, BARDA may support a schedule of countermeasures for biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear threats but does not make sure there are sufficient economic incentives to stimulate maximum private sector participation (Hodge, Gostin & Vernick, 2007).
References
Hodge, J.G. (2007). Legal Forces in Public Health Surveillance. Retrieved from http://www.law.asu.edu/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Q9DhovDU3uE%3D&tabid=1497
Hodge, J.G., Gostin, L.O. & Vernick, J.S. (2007). The Pandemic and All-Hazards
Preparedness Act: Improving Public Health Emergency Response. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 297(15), p. 1708-1711.
