An Outline of The New Law of lnfectious Diseases

Since 1987, measures to protect infectious diseases were based on the conventional Communicable Disease Prevention Law. With the advances of medicine in recent years, it appeared as if many infectious diseases had been defeated. But it has been suggested that we are currently unpreprared to control emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. And there is a demand for increased international health and medical care cooperation in the field of infectious diseases. For this reason, there is a clear need for the strengthening of the information collecting system and increased surveillance activities relating to infectious diseases, improved emergency plans, and the promotion of human resource development and survey/research work. In the borderless world which has emerged in recent years, an international crisis management system, one which goes beyond national borders, is also essential for the handling of such problems as an outbreak of infectious disease, pharmaceutical side-effects, and food poisoning on a global scale. It is vital, in this respect, for all medical doctors to understand the new law and collaborate together