Public Health Law and Policy

Policy and Law Both:

-Have collective decisions to prioritize social needs

-Identify factors important for protecting and promoting health of individuals and groups

- Have different levels: Federal, State, Local

Who has a “heavier hand” to enforce public health interventions

Law has a heavier hand over Policy to enforce public health interventions

Describe policy

Policy is determined by a process of consultation, negotiation, and research, which leads to a plan of action that sets out a vision of identified public health goals.

Which is better for open ended interventions 

Policy is is better for open ended interventions, as opposed to law which is more black and white

Describe Law and what i

-consists of legislative (passed by congress or parliament) and judicial statements of rules or norms governing health interventions or health behaviors.

-Law can criminalize intentionally reckless or negligent behavior but it cannot require an individual to undergo a personal sacrifice for the benefit of another. 

What is WHO and where are their headqauters

-World Health Organizations

-Switzerland

Where does WHO have other headquarters

-WHO has Regional headquarters as well to focus on issues specific to different regions

“Region of the Americas” headquartered in Washington D.C.

What is PAHO and who did they merge with

Region of Americas merged with a preexisting “Pan-American Health Organization” (PAHO)

What are Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and what is their aim?

Can be private citizens or businesses. Organization is supported by public, private, or both types of funding.

Attempt to fill niche needs not met by national governments and international organizations

Examples of NGO’s

-International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies- provides emergency services to areas struck by disaster

-Doctors without Borders- provides health care providers to areas where services are not available or where other NGOs will not go

How does Mexico handle law and policy on the national level?

-Mexican constitution establishes public health services. The U.S. constitution does not. We use round-about ways to establish public health.

How does the U.S handle law and policy?

-Our constitution allows the federal government to regulate trade→ this includes pharmaceuticals

-The 16th amendment gives the ability to tax. From which, the government gives grants to states and local municipalities for health.

What is the HHS?

-The U.S. Public Health Service preceded the The Department of Health and Human Services

-The HHS is responsible for research, education, funding, and admin duties. They then pass these resources down to the states to deliver actual services

What is the CDC and what are they tasked with?

-The CDC is under the HHS and is responsible for surveillance of health and disease to prevent international transmission

-The CDC is also tasked with monitoring toxins in the environment that are harmful to human health. They work alongside the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

What is the Food and Drug Administration responsible for?

-The FDA falls under the HHS and is responsible for ensuring that food, medications, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation are safe, secure, and effective for human health.

-The FDA helps push legislation to regulate pharmaceuticals and drug approval processes.

What does the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) do?

They assist in monitoring marketing and post-effects of approved drugs. They also combat counterterrorism and emergency response related to medications.

What does The subdivision Counterfeit Drug Task Force do?

They work with the International Medication Products Anti-Counterfeiting TaskForce (IMPACT) under WHO to prevent confeirt drug circulation.

What can individual states do?

Individual states have the power to fill in whatever is not covered under federal law

How do federal laws help tribes?

-Negotiated treaties with the federal government allows tribal health systems to operate as equal to states. The health system is dependent on each tribe.

What is the board of Health?

-government appointed volunteers provide different points of view/expertise 

-oversees the health department to be sure it’s fulfilling its mission and legal/ethical duties

-hires and evaluates the Health Officer, in charge of overseeing the department of health

What is the health department?

-does the actual work to protect the health of citizens

-Some health agencies are so small that the Health Officer is the Department 

-Most others are true departments with several divisions, programs, and employees

How does local public health and policy work and how do they handle disease?

-Programs are administered at this level

-Local citizens are on boards to give community perspective

-Disease reports are collected case by case, then given to the state’s epidemiologist, then to the CDC

What agencies are Public Health and Primary Care Services under?

Basic, Super Public Health Agency, Super Health Agency, and Umbrella Agency

What agencies are Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services under?

Super Public Health Agency + Umbrella Agency

What agencies are Medicaid services under?

Super Health Agencies + Umbrella Agency