China has revised its 15-year-old Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases that was adopted by China's top legislature, the National People's Congress. Severe acute respiratory syndrome, lung anthrax, and highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza are to be treated as class A diseases. The new law also upgrades tuberculosis, neonatal tetanus, and schistosomiasis from class C to class B.
For the first time, the law has included an independent clause for AIDS, ruling that: “all levels of government must strengthen AIDS prevention and control, and work in a bid to curb the further spread of the disease”. Moreover, medical personnel and government officials involved in epidemics who delay reporting, give false information, or cover up the real situation of a contagious disease will be held legally libel.
Safety is also highlighted in the revision. Disease-control agencies, laboratories affiliated to medical institutions, or research bodies must manage virus samples correctly, and violations that lead to the spread of any disease could lead to criminal punishment.
The revision has more focus on human rights. Although all units or individuals are subject to preventive measures such as investigation, testing, collection of samples, isolation, and providing truthful information, there is equal emphasis on privacy issues for medical institutions. For example, local governments are obliged to ensure that basic living standards for quarantine are upheld.
The law now clearly states the government's responsibility in securing funds for disease prevention in poor areas, and for people who cannot afford treatment. “The revised law has made clear obligations for different institutions and departments, which in turn will reinforce monitoring of infectious diseases”, says Dai Zhicheng, former chief of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Health. However, he also notes that it will take follow-up regulations to clarify certain clauses for practice.