The Public Health Service Act is a United States federal law enacted in 1944. The full act is codified in Title 42 of the United States Code (The Public Health and Welfare), Chapter 6A (Public Health Service). This Act provided a legislative basis for the provision of public health services in the United States.

Contents

The Public Health Service Act clearly established the federal government's quarantine authority for the first time. It gave the United States Public Health Service responsibility for preventing the introduction, transmission and spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the United States. The Public Health Service Act granted the original authority for scientists and special consultants to be appointed "without regard to the civil-service laws", known as a Title 42 appointment. During COVID-19 pandemic, section has been used for Title 42 expulsion.

Amendments

It has since been amended many times. Some of these amendments are:

Proposed amendments

Other attempted amendments to the act have been proposed but failed:

Commentary

Since the passage of the Act, health services in the US subsequently have been marked by a history of underinvestment that has undermined the public health workforce and support for population health.