- Note - The following is an
online letter to President Bush being signed by physicians. The letter
appears at: http://www.aapsonline.org/
-ed
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- Association of American Physicians and Surgeons
- 601 N. Tucson Blvd. Suite 9
- Tucson, AZ 85716-3450
- 800 635-1196
- Hotline 800 419-4777
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- Association of American Physicians and Surgeons,
Inc.
- A Voice for Private Physicians Since 1943
- Omnia pro aegroto
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- Model State Emergency Health Powers Act Petition
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- Dear President Bush:
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- We are writing to voice our opposition to the Model State
Emergency Health Powers Act (MEHPA) drafted by the U.S. Department of
Health
and Human Services (HHS), and being sent to state legislatures with a
recommendation
for passage.
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- While protecting citizens from biological and chemical
attacks is a critical function of government, any laws passed to that end
must take a deliberative approach in crafting effective policy without
sacrificing the rights and liberties of individuals and families.
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- In contrast, this bill would give public health officials
and governors sweeping new authority to quarantine and vaccinate
individuals.
Moreover, the proposal allows government authorities to ration and
commandeer
drugs and other items, including firearms and private property. And yet
what constitutes a real or possible "emergency" is left subject
to wide interpretation, leaving the governors little or no
accountability.
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- The bill is so alarming that even state legislators are
publicly opposing it. The nation's largest bipartisan, individual
membership
organization of state legislators, the American Legislative Exchange
Council
(ALEC) has published numerous concerns.
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- We therefore respectfully request that you direct HHS
Secretary Tommy Thompson and all other officials from HHS and its
divisions,
to desist immediately from all efforts, plans and actions to promote and
pass this bill. Further, we ask that no federal funds be used to promote
or pass this bill.
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- Respectfully submitted,
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