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Public health is constantly straddling the importance of individual rights and the good of the community.

In a pandemic, the choices often become more urgent and more difficult. A few key documents summarize the consensus on ethical public health actions in a pandemic. This guidance helps you find what these documents recommend. They are:

• The American Public Health Association, Public health code of ethics (2019)
• The World Health Organization, Guidance for Managing Ethical Issues in Infectious Disease Outbreaks (2016)
• The World Health Organization, Ethical considerations in developing a public health response to pandemic influenza (2007)
• The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ethical guidelines in pandemic influenza (2007)
• Indiana University Center for Bioethics, Ethics Guide for health practitioners working under conditions of an influenza pandemic (2009)
• The University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics, Stand on Guard for Thee: Ethical considerations in preparedness planning for pandemic influenza (2005)

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