Emerging Infectious Diseases: Ethics, Law and Professional Obligation

University Of Texas Med Br Galveston, Galveston TX

Investigators

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): [unreadable] The Emerging Infectious Diseases: Ethics, Law and Professional Obligation conference will relate a scientific understanding of emerging infectious diseases to the historical, ethical, legal and humanistic concerns surrounding the health professionals' duties toward patients during an epidemic outbreak. The focus will be less on the public health response and more on the individual health worker's decision to care for patients, particularly in the face of personal risk, conflicting duties to family members and other complex personal challenges. Through this conference, UTMB's Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (IHII) and the Institute for the Medical Humanities (IMH) have partnered to bring important but unexplored issues to the forefront. The IMH was recently awarded a grant of $20,000 from the McLaughlin Endowment at UTMB to hold this conference. The additional funding we seek from the NIH with this grant application will allow us to generate significant contributions to national and international infectious disease planning efforts. The principal model we will use for discussion is a pandemic form of H5N1 influenza, though other pertinent emerging infections as well as historical pandemics will be discussed when appropriate. Additionally, speakers with direct patient-care responsibilities during SARS and HIV/AIDS will present their experiences. The conference will offer an opportunity for exchange and dialogue among scientists and bioethics, humanities and legal scholars from national and international institutions in an effort to facilitate novel approaches to pandemic preparedness, including the expanded use of community dialogue as a preparedness tool and means of ethical deliberation. The conference will be held on November 6 through 8, 2008, at the Moody Gardens Hotel and Conference Center, One Hope Boulevard, Galveston, Texas. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Institute for the Medical Humanities Conference Title: "Emerging Infectious Diseases: Ethics, Law and Professional Obligation". Scientists studying emerging infectious diseases feel considerable urgency to develop vaccines, drugs and other therapeutic and preventive measures suitable for SARS, avian flu, extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis and other threats. These efforts will be ineffective, however, unless enough practitioners remain at their posts to administer the treatments. A 2003 survey of U.S. physicians found willingness to accept personal health risks in order to treat patients in need ranging from a high of 80 percent to a low of 40 percent depending on the details specified. The Emerging Infectious Diseases: Ethics, Law and Professional Obligation conference will offer an opportunity for exchange and dialogue among scientists and bioethics, humanities and legal scholars from national and international institutions in an effort to facilitate novel approaches to pandemic preparedness, including the expanded use of community dialogue as a preparedness tool and means of ethical deliberation. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]