Position statements address public health threats
The SHL Office of Public Policy is leading the development of a series of these documents that explain these emerging and established potential threats to the public health and the laboratory’s role in prevention and planning. The first three in the series – antibiotic resistance, emergency planning and response, and bioinformatics – are available on the SHL website.
Questions about these and other issues related to public health policy in Iowa may be sent to Pam Mollenhauer, Director of the Office of Public Policy. This office provides objective, timely information regarding environmental and public health that helps keep Iowans safe and healthy. These statements help fulfill SHL’s statutory charge in Iowa Code* to provide scientific, education and training, consultation and applied research expertise.
*IOWA CODE (263.7)
The State Hygienic Laboratory shall be a permanent part of the state University of Iowa. It shall make or cause to be made microbiological and chemical examinations and other necessary investigations by both laboratory and field work in the determination of the causes of disease, shall suggest methods of overcoming and preventing the recurrence of the disease, and shall evaluate environmental effects and scientific needs, whenever requested to do so by any state agency, state institution, or local board of health when the investigation or evaluation is necessary in the interest of environmental quality and public health and for the purpose of preventing epidemics of disease.
