# 1472
The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) has raised concerns that the United State's pandemic plan may rely too heavily on police or military action, and may infringe on the rights of individuals.
This is just the opening to the article. By all means, follow the link to read the entire piece.
ACLU asks if pandemic plans threaten rights
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. policy in preparing for a potential bird flu pandemic is veering dangerously toward a heavy-handed law-enforcement approach, the American Civil Liberties Union said on Monday.
The group, which advocates for individuals' legal rights based on the U.S. Constitution, said federal government pandemic plans were confusing and could emphasize a police and military approach to outbreaks of disease, instead of a more sensible public health approach.
"Rather than focusing on well-established measures for protecting the lives and health of Americans, policymakers have recently embraced an approach that views public health policy through the prism of national security and law enforcement," the ACLU report reads.
But the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) said the group had misunderstood the government's approach and said current plans already incorporate many of the ACLU's recommendations.
