Interactive Feature

How to Lead During Bioattacks with the Public's Trust and Help
A Manual for Mayors, Governors, and Top Health Officials

Purpose

How to Lead during Bioattacks provides government leaders with guidance on anticipating and averting governing pitfalls that arise during epidemics. This resource:

• Sets forth strategic goals that distinguish effective, compassionate leadership in epidemics

• Illustrates circumstances posed by bioattacks that further complicate response to the health crisis

• Identifies dilemmas of governing that commonly arise during naturally occurring or intentionally caused epidemics

• Recommends principles and actions for averting and/or remedying such predicaments.

Background

To address the issue, the UPMC Center for Biosecurity convened the Working Group on 'Governance Dilemmas' in Bioterrorism Response from February 2003–February 2004. This group is comprised of thirty professionals including veteran political and public health leaders; medicine, public health, and disaster experts; community leaders and special population advocates; and news media, public affairs and risk communication experts. In March 2004, the Working Group published a consensus statement entitled "Leading during Bioattacks and Epidemics with the Public's Trust and Help" in the peer-reviewed journal Biosecurity and Bioterrorism.

Site Contents

• Bios: Biographical information for members of the Working Group on 'Governance Dilemmas' in Bioterrorism Response
• Executive Summary: An interactive executive summary of the Working Group consensus statement that outlines key points and offers supporting case studies of responses to real-life crises
• Full Report: PDF file of the Working Group consensus statement entitled "Leading during Bioattacks and Epidemics with the Public's Trust and Help" published in the peer-reviewed journal Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. Adobe Acrobat is required to view this report. requires Acrobat Reader
• Curriculum: Materials and selected resources that complement the guidelines in "How to Lead during Bioattacks with the Public's Trust and Help: A Manual for Mayors, Governors, and Top Health Officials"
• Acknowledgements

Disclaimer: Points of view presented are those of the working group and do not necessarily represent the official position of MIPT, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or the Sloan Foundation.