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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Ross D. Silverman, JD, MPH, Medical Humanities, SIU School of Medicine, PO Box 19603, Springfield, IL 62794-9603, 217.545.4261, rsilverman@siumed.edu

Individual health information collected for public health purposes is generally held in strict confidence; however, statutory exceptions exist for use in limited law enforcement circumstances. Collaboration and coordination between these two fields has increased substantially over the last several years, due in part to greater concern over threats such as bioterrorism and spread of infectious diseases like SARS and avian influenza, highly public intentional infectious disease outbreaks (such as those involving the intentional spread of HIV/AIDS), and due to the increasing value of more comprehensive data tracking by public health agencies. This presentation will describe how forensic epidemiology attempts to balance protection of the public health and safety with protection of individual rights, recent legislation and case law addressing this balance, and the need for continued (and perhaps increased) vigilance to ensure that the capacity to collect such data will not unduly impinge upon individual civil liberties.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify types of collaboration occurring between public health and law enforcement agencies
• Articulate the ethical, legal and public health concerns which such collaborations must appropriately balance

Keywords: Health Law, Public Health Agency Roles

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No