Emergency Flu Response Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2968
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2004-10-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
Aspirin
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Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
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Congress
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Social Welfare
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Switzerland
Vaccination
Vaccines
Wages
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Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: 
Emergency Flu Response Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to immediately declare the shortage of the influenza vaccine to be a public health emergency justifying an authorization of the use of unapproved products.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) consult with certain foreign countries to assess the availability of excess vaccines; (2) determine whether such vaccines meet the criteria for emergency authorization; (3) purchase, import, and distribute such vaccines; (4) award a grant to each State to develop and implement a plan to respond to the current shortage; and (5) establish a program to purchase and redistribute excess doses for administration to individuals in priority areas.
 
Requires the head of each executive agency and the Attending Physician of the Capitol to ensure that vaccines are administered only to employees in priority groups and to provide the Secretary with any excess doses for redistribution.
 
Allows the Secretary to purchase any approved drug to treat influenza for inclusion in the Strategic National Stockpile.
 
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to conduct clinical trials to determine whether a diluted influenza vaccine is effective in priority groups.
 
Establishes the National Quarantine Compensation Program to pay individuals subject to a State or Federal quarantine order an amount equal to lost wages. Prohibits an employer from discharging or discriminating against such individuals.
 
Allows the Secretary, upon determining that measures taken under this Act have not been effective, to: (1) take additional measures necessary to protect the public health; and (2) require manufacturers or anyone in possession of the vaccine to sell their supply to the Federal Government.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10861-10863)
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: Introduced in Senate