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Confronting the Ethics of Pandemic Influenza: The 2008 Summit of the States
The Indiana State Department of Health, the Indiana University Center for Bioethics and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) will convene a national summit on the ethical and policy issues of preparing for an influenza pandemic. "Confronting the Ethics of Pandemic Influenza Planning: The 2008 Summit of the States" (July 14 – 15) will include key government, public health, policy, law, and ethics leaders. Commenting on the purpose and value of the event, Eric Meslin, Director of the Center for Bioethics, observed:

"We know that there are several key issues that all states must address in one way or another – from how to distribute potentially scarce medical supplies to priority decisions about availability of equipment, intensive care beds and methods to slow the spread of disease – that should be identified and addressed before an adverse event would limit the time available to make ethical decisions .... This summit is designed to help state officials identify these issues and determine how best to tackle them. We hope that by meeting together, these leaders will learn from one another and develop joint strategies" (Press Release, 2 July 2008).

To learn more about the ethical issues, visit IUCB's Pandemic Influenza Portal.