Ethics and Public Health Policy

Ethics and Public Health Policy Forum

October 30, 2:30 - 3:30 PM 

Renaissance Hotel,  Meeting Room 6, 999 Ninth Street,  Washington DC 

Policy Development is one of the three core functions of public health. Effective public health policies are based upon epidemiology, ethics, economics and public health law.  This session will be devoted to a review and a discussion of principles of ethics and their impact on policy. 

Ethical principles will be reviewed using material  

(http://pahcwfluvax.org/ethics-policy-overview/)  developed by the  Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Cente for Vaccine Ethics and Policy at the University of Pennsylvania ( http://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org/.  Those principles include autonomy, beneficence, nonmalificience and John Stuart Mill's harm principle.   The material was developed as part of the discussion of mandatory health care worker vaccination against influenza (http://pahcwfluvax.org).  Nevertheless, the principles are applicable to an informed discussion of policies including tobacco control and health care reform.

Members and guests sincerely interested in discussing AAPHP current and future policies (including tobacco available at aaphp.org/tobacco) are invited to engage in constructive discourse.  Individuals that have pre-registered will have the first opportunity to present their thoughts followed by an opportunity for concise response by other attendees.  No audio-visual electronic media will be available for this unique discussion in the tradition of ancient Greek philosophers. It is hoped that this discourse will lay the foundation for future policies which continue to promote the Public's Health.

Members may use this forum to begin the discussion and suggest topics for our October 30 meeting.