Public Health Threats

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http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/08/health/08TAIW.html?tntemail0=&pagewanted=print&position=

The New York Times The New York Times Opinion May 8, 2003

 

 

 

Public Health Threats

To the Editor:

Re "Lock 'Em Up," by Nicholas D. Kristof (column, May 2):

The American Civil Liberties Union does not oppose all extraordinary public health measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, providing that modern concepts of due process and fundamental fairness are included.

Of course, our support for such measures is not unlimited.

There is no reason strong measures to stop casually communicable diseases can't be combined with reasonable due-process and privacy protections that don't detract from the government's ability to stop an outbreak.

We still live in America, where we do not grant our authorities sweeping powers without limits or controls.

For example, a governor should not be able unilaterally to impose quarantines and seize assets because of AIDS. Yet that is what a version of the Model Emergency Health Powers Act would permit.
BARRY STEINHARDT
Director, Technology and Liberty Program, A.C.L.U.
New York, May 2, 2003
 

Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company

 

 

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