Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act Law and Legal Definition
The Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act (“Act”) is a federal legislation providing medical items and services that are necessary to treat a covered injury arising from smallpox. The Act provides for smallpox emergency response plan, under which response plan details an action that is to be taken in preparation for a possible smallpox related emergency during the period prior to the identification of an active case of smallpox either within or outside the U.S.
The Secretary of the Public Health Service (“Secretary”) makes payment or reimbursement for medical items and services that are reasonable and necessary to treat a covered injury of an eligible individual. Pursuant to 42 USCS § 239, the Secretary ensures the following:
potential participants are educated with respect to contraindications;
voluntary screening is provided to potential participants that can identify health conditions relevant to contraindications; and
3. appropriate post-inoculation medical surveillance that includes an evaluation of adverse health effects that may reasonably appear to be due to such vaccine and prompt referral of, or the provision of appropriate information to, any individual requiring health care as a result of such adverse health event.
