Bill Overview
Title: Promoting Public Health Information Act
Description: This bill sets out programs and activities to support the communication and dissemination of evidence-based public health information, with a particular focus on communication during public health emergencies. Specifically, it temporarily establishes an advisory committee to report on and make recommendations about, for example, the role and impact of misinformation on responses to public health emergencies and strategies to improve communication during such emergencies. The committee terminates four years after the bill's enactment. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services must support the development of initiatives that promote fact-based public health and medical information to the public and educate the public on identifying misinformation.
Sponsors: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals globally relying on public health information during emergencies
Estimated Size: 331000000
- This bill focuses on disseminating public health information during emergencies, which potentially touches all individuals who rely on public health systems.
- Public health emergencies can affect anyone, but those with less access to reliable information may be particularly influenced by misinformation remediation efforts.
- The global population is nearly 8 billion; however, the reach of this bill primarily concerns countries with English-speaking populations and those with internet or media access.
- Healthcare professionals will be directly engaged with the public in disseminating this information.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily targets the communication of public health information, which is crucial during emergencies, hence affecting a wide range of people from different backgrounds.
- Budget constraints limit the depth and breadth of program outreach, thus not allowing for a tremendous immediate effect on the entire population but significant for targeted groups.
- A diverse population might have varying levels of impact ranging from high in individuals without prior access to reliable health information to low in those who already had good access.
- The policy is temporary and aimed at immediate impacts during public health emergencies, which means long-term effects may be less pronounced unless continued efforts are made.
Simulated Interviews
Teacher (New York, NY)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is a step in the right direction especially after COVID-19. Inaccurate information affected a lot of people.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Freelancer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I doubt this bill will have much effect. Misinformation spreads too quickly online.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Healthcare Worker (Austin, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could make my job easier by reducing misinformation but needs strong follow-through.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired (Rural Montana)
Age: 64 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this means I'll get clearer information on the radio at least.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Tech Startup Worker (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it’s great that there’s acknowledgment of misinformation issues, but four years isn’t enough for true change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Healthcare Policy Analyst (Miami, FL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The temporary advisory committee can identify problems but long term strategies are essential.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Business Owner (Portland, OR)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don’t pay too much attention to such programs, but anything reducing misinformation helps.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
University Student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Effective public health communication is crucial but only if it keeps pace with tech.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Software Engineer (Boston, MA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Misinformation is a big issue, but we need better tech solutions to make a big impact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Nurse (Houston, TX)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might cut down misinformation, helping us get more people vaccinated.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $80000000)
Year 2: $52000000 (Low: $31000000, High: $85000000)
Year 3: $54000000 (Low: $32000000, High: $89000000)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The immediate costs of establishing the advisory committee and supporting HHS initiatives versus the long-term public health benefits.
- Balancing short-term fiscal expenditures with potentially significant indirect savings and health outcomes.
- The adaptability of media and communication strategies to rapidly evolving public health threats.