Expert Discusses Implications Of Authoritarianism, ‘Information Politics’ In Disease Outbreak Responses

The Lancet Public Health: Authoritarianism, outbreaks, and information politics
Matthew M. Kavanagh, visiting professor of law, assistant professor of global health, and director of the Global Health Policy and Governance Initiative at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, discusses the information and accountability challenges authoritarian governments face when addressing an outbreak, and in particular, how information politics could undermine rapid response to a disease outbreak like the coronavirus. Kavanagh writes, “[I]n building capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks, democratic openness and competitive politics seem more asset than inadequacy” (2/13).

The KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report summarized news and information on global health policy from hundreds of sources, from May 2009 through December 2020. All summaries are archived and available via search.

KFF Headquarters: 185 Berry St., Suite 2000, San Francisco, CA 94107 | Phone 650-854-9400
Washington Offices and Barbara Jordan Conference Center: 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 | Phone 202-347-5270

www.kff.org | Email Alerts: kff.org/email | facebook.com/KFF | twitter.com/kff

The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news, KFF is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.