The Crosscurrents Dialogue Model: 2019-2023.

The failure to consult with the public in policymaking can result in less sound and supportable policies. The Crosscurrents Dialogue Model (CDM) was developed to explore if Americans with different political perspectives could have useful policy conversations. To date, the CDM participants have addressed 10 separate topics such as health care and immigration and reached agreements each time. CDM provides evidence that the divide between politically diverse Americans can be bridged adequately to agree on specific recommendations for action. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(10):1099-1101. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307359).

Strengthening public health ethics at the centers for disease control and prevention.

In early 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched an initiative to strengthen leadership in public health ethics. This resulted in the formation of an external Ethics Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee to the Director, an internal CDC Public Health Ethics Committee, and the creation of a new position, the CDC Public Health Ethics Coordinator, to oversee the activities of these two committees and to serve as the main point of contact for public health ethics at the agency. Through this effort, the CDC is collaborating with the Ethics Subcommittee to develop ethical guidance documents that address specific public health program concerns, including pandemic influenza, emergency preparedness and response, and genomics. It is anticipated that as the public health ethics activities grow within the CDC, benefits will be seen in greater participation and partnership with affected stakeholders and strengthened public trust in health recommendations.