Connecticut U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy has partnered with Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) on reintroducing The Promoting Public Health Information Act.
According to a press statement from Murphy’s office, the proposed legislation would establish a Public Health Information and Communications Advisory Committee within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would “make recommendations on effective ways to communicate scientific and medical information and understand the impact of misinformation during a public health emergency.” The legislation gives HHS the authority to “issue awards to develop evidenced-based initiatives to educate the public and promote fact-based public health and medical science.”
The legislation also enables the allocation of $45 million to fund the new committee and its initiatives.
“During the pandemic, we saw how health misinformation can have devastating, sometimes fatal consequences,” said Murphy. “We need to do a better job of making sure that fact-based health information is more salient than the rumors and conspiracy theories that run rampant on social media. This legislation would help HHS communicate more effectively during public health emergencies, ultimately saving lives.”
A companion bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Democrat Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Kathy Castor (D-FL).
