WHEREAS 1: Requests to respond to proposed legislation, regulations, or policies are important opportunities for ACPM to assert an authoritative role in health promotion and disease prevention science and policy, and

WHEREAS 2: Many such opportunities can be anticipated as health-related legislative initiatives are considered in State, federal, local, and private venues, and

WHEREAS 3: ACPM should be fully prepared to support the development of sound laws, regulations, and policies, and

WHEREAS 4: The ACPM Policy Committee has been given the charge: The Committee shall plan and monitor ACPM's policy positions, which shall be developed to help promote preventive medicine practice and research in both the public and private sectors. By developing and monitoring legislative and regulatory matters pertinent to preventive medicine, the Committee will recommend to the Board of Regents appropriate policy and plans for the College and its members.

WHEREAS 5: ACPM should provide the Policy Committee with guidelines for determining when it is appropriate to respond and for prioritizing policy activities, and criteria that ensure any responses are consistent among many complex issues and reflect the best science and ethics, and

WHEREAS 6: The ACPM has a limited capacity to develop policy initiatives and therefore must periodically identify priority policy activities, and

WHEREAS 7: ACPM cannot afford to circulate inconsistent, contradictory, or insensitive responses among the many States or other entities that may request authoritative input on proposed legislation or other actions, and

WHEREAS 8: Established considerations and criteria for ACPM to use in evaluating and responding to proposed legislation can serve to maximize benefit from future opportunities and minimize the risk of undesirable results.

Be it therefore RESOLVED 1: That the ACPM Policy Committee annually, or more frequently, establish realistic policy goals and identify key priority initiatives for the following year considering the following criteria:

A. External
1. Mortality, morbidity, and economic burden on the population
2. Potential favorable impact of preventive measures on the health and quality of life of the population
3. Scientific validity of policy, if available
B. Internal
1. Extent to which an ACPM policy position will help to advance the mission and goals of ACPM
2. Extent to which ACPM can make a unique contribution or has a special interest in the issue
3. Potential for increasing visibility of ACPM and the preventive medicine specialty
4. Potential costs and benefits to ACPM in human, financial, and political resources
5. Prior analysis of ACPM policy compendium
6. Potential to promote ACPM membership recruitment, involvement, and professional interests

Be it further RESOLVED: 2. That the following criteria must be affirmed in order for ACPM to respond to proposed legislation, regulations, or policies:
1. Responding to the proposed action is consistent with the ACPM mission.
2. ACPM is the appropriate authority to respond.
3. ACPM has the necessary resources available to provide an adequate response.
4. There is little likelihood for a real or perceived conflict of interest if ACPM responds.

Be it further RESOLVED 3: That when consistent with established policy goals and priorities, ACPM will steadfastly act upon requests for comments on proposed or enacted health promotion and disease prevention legislation, regulations, or policies and will use the following principles and criteria when evaluating and preparing responses to actions proposed or taken by public or private agencies:

A. Principles
1. ACPM will maintain a position of advocating for population-based and individual health promotion and disease prevention programs based on the best available scientific evidence.
2. ACPM will exercise extreme caution when responding to proposals that advance the priority of health promotion and disease prevention but also deviate from specific recommendations of the College or other authoritative bodies.
3. ACPM will diligently avoid promoting positions that place, or appear to place, the interests of groups identified by common proprietary or other relationships above the interests of the populations affected by the proposed action.

B. Criteria (as applicable)
1. Proposed action is consistent with ACPM policy statements related to the issue, if any.
2. Proposed action reflects the best available scientific evidence.
3. Proposed action is promoting programs that are consistent with recommendations of ACPM or other authoritative bodies.
4. Proposed action elevates the priority for health promotion and primary prevention through risk reduction or early detection (screening) interventions.
5. While the proposed action advances the agenda of health promotion and prevention in general but deviates from specific recommendations of ACPM or other authoritative bodies, supporting the proposed action does not conflict with, or contradict, positions taken by the College.
6. Proposed action ensures that any interventions are equitably available to the entire at-risk population within the jurisdiction.
7. ACPM is responding with specific recommendations for modifying the proposed legislation, regulations, or policies so that they would be more consistent with these criteria.