Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Response Act

Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002

Other short titles	Bioterrorism Preparedness Act of 2001
Long title	An Act to improve the ability of the United States to prevent, prepare for, and respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies.
Enacted by	the 107th United States Congress
Effective	June 12, 2002
Citations
Public law	107–188
Statutes at Large	116 Stat. 594
Codification
Titles amended	42: Public Health and Social Welfare
U.S.C. sections amended	Chapter 6A § 201 et seq.
Legislative history
Introduced in the House as H.R. 3448 by Wilbert J. Tauzin, II (R–LA) on December 11, 2001 Passed the House on December 12, 2001 (418–2) Passed the Senate on December 20, 2001 (Passed unanimous consent) Reported by the joint conference committee on May 21, 2002; agreed to by the House on May 22, 2002 (425–1) and by the Senate on May 23, 2002 (98–0) Signed into law by President George W. Bush on June 12, 2002

Signed into effect on 12 June 2002, the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act, (PHSBPRA) was signed by the President, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

It established procedures for preparation for bioterrorism and public health emergencies. It also created the National Disaster Medical System, through which teams of health professionals, such as physicians, pharmacists, paramedics, and nurses, volunteer in emergency situations.

A component of the new rules include security risk assessment of individuals who have access to the select agents and toxins. It is intended to establish new requirements for registration of possession, use, and transfer of select agents and toxins that could pose a threat to human, animal, and plant safety and health. Any person who meets the criteria of a "restricted person" as defined in the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, must not be afforded access to these materials.

Title I deals with preparation on the federal, state, and local level for bioterrorism and other public health emergencies such as epidemics.

Subtitle A amended the Public Health Service Act to add Title XXVIII: National Preparedness for Bioterrorism and Other Public Health Emergencies. It directed the DHHS, through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to coordinate a strategy for preparing for and responding to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies, including the preparation of a plan to ensure that the activities of the Secretary regarding bioterrorism and other public health emergencies are coordinated with state and local governments.

It requires the federal government to provide assistance to state and local governments in the event of bioterrorism or other public health emergency and ensure that state and local governments are prepared to detect and respond to such emergencies, including capability for effective public health surveillance and reporting, appropriate laboratory readiness, properly trained and equipped emergency personnel, protection of workers responding to such an emergency, public health agencies that are prepared to coordinate health services during and after emergencies, and participation in communications networks that can publicly and privately disseminate information in a timely and secure manner.

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