Health care policy changes are needed to minimize the risk to physicians responding to public health emergencies and aid in their longer-term responsibility of protecting and promoting the nation's health.
Two physicians argue that disaster preparedness for bioterrorist attacks diverts health care resources from other critical medical and public health needs.
The Do Not Resuscitate policy in many hospitals brings about ethical questions regarding hospital policy towards terminally ill patients and end-of-life care.
A centralized registry to provide information to consumers regarding the effectiveness of clinical trials is needed to help patients make informed decisions about treatment.
The Model State Emergency Health Powers Act proposes state legislation that should be enacted to ensure an adequate and coordinated response to public health emergencies.
Physicians should use evidence-based guidelines as a starting point to make sound clinical treatment decisions for a patient's individual medical needs.