“An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Quarantine”: National and International Quarantine Laws vs Prevention and Control Measures as Applied to XDR-TB

Abstract

We live in an increasingly globalized world where international business travel, tourism, and trade are commonplace and becoming increasingly available to the world’s populace. Germ theory is understood by most people to be the culprit behind many of the common ailments we might suffer, such as influenza. In recent years, the world has seen H1N1 Swine Flu, SARS, and in many places even diseases that are more formidable, such as extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). For years now, moviemakers have sensationalized the potential impact of a pandemic event on the silver screen. Even without those sensationalized theatrical accounts, we are well aware that a pandemic could cripple a national or even the global economy. Given these factors, how can we not prioritize the need for effective public health legislation on a national and international level? This article will explore the overall question of how we can utilize the existing legal structure, or make changes to the existing legal structure from an international perspective, to prevent and control XDR-TB in United States before the extreme measure of quarantine is necessary. In exploring this question, we will first examine the origins and evolution of XDR-TB and then assess the contemporary threat posed by XDR-TB. The primary focus is the use of