Pandemic Influenza Resources
RECENT NEWS & UPDATES
Troutman Sanders Health Care team provides timely e-mail "Advisory" updates to inform you of new developments related to legal obligations for emergency preparedness and response that may impact your business, including developments related to the current H1N1 pandemic.
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Troutman Sanders Pan Flu News & Publications.
For the last few years, public health officials around the world have been concerned that we are overdue for a world-wide influenza epidemic, otherwise known as an influenza pandemic. These fears were reinforced with the rapid emergence of a highly contagious, novel strain of influenza in Mexico in late April 2009. Since its emergence, this new influenza strain, known as H1N1, has traveled the globe infecting tens of thousands of people in close to 80 countries. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially raised the pandemic influenza alert level to a 6 confirming that we are now in a global pandemic.
Governments around the world, and most major businesses, have been preparing for a pandemic for several years after the emergence of avian influenza in the human population. Now that a pandemic has been declared, everyone, especially health care providers and others who are involved in our nation’s critical infrastructure, must immediately begin preparing for the strong possibility of a very serious flu outbreak as soon as September 2009. Failure to properly plan to be able to respond effectively this public health emergency will expose your organization to significant liability.
Troutman Sanders LLP has worked on the leading edge of pandemic preparedness by advising the U.S. government, many state governments, state public health agencies, health care providers and commercial businesses on the many complex legal, regulatory, policy and ethical issues associated with pandemic preparedness and response. Given our unique expertise, we have assembled this resource page as a service to our clients and the public to make critical information about this major public health threat more easily available.
What Is the 2009 H1N1 Virus (formerly known as "Swine Flu")?
"H1N1" is a particular type of influenza which is a virus that attacks the respiratory system. Influenza viruses are identified based on the structure of specific proteins on the surface of the virus. H1N1's genetic composition includes some components of the better known Avian influenza, H5N1. H1N1 is common to pigs, much like Avian influenza is common among the bird population. Sometimes, for reasons that epidemiologists do not fully understand, a virus will jump from the animal population to the human population. When this occurs, we have an outbreak. Depending on the severity of the virus, the outbreak can be mild or severe.
Troutman Sanders' Advisories and Publications on "Emergency Preparedness"
Virginia Department of Health Completes Critical Resource Shortages Planning Guide and Implementation Toolkit
We Have a Pandemic
Swine Flu: The Next Pandemic?
H1N1 Swine Flu Outbreak: How Employers Can Prepare For A Potential Flu Pandemic
Emergency Preparedness and Response
VHHA Human Resources Work Group Releases Final Report as a Tool to Help Hospitals Plan for Disasters
New Report Raises Preparedness Bar
Sharing Information During Disasters: HIPAA Implications
EMTALA Compliance In Disaster Circumstances
Critical Resource Shortages: A Planning Guide
Troutman Sanders' Attorneys to Contact Regarding the 2009 H1N1 Virus Counsel
Steven "Steve" D. Gravely
Practice Leader
804.697.1308
Erin Whaley
Associate
804.697.1389
Additional Pandemic Influenza Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Interim CDC Guidance for Nonpharmaceutical Community Mitigation
Pandemic Flu Information for Health Professionals
Pandemic Flu Investigation
Pandemic Flu Planning
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
World Health Organization
U.S. Department of Homeland Security