US public health system needs major overhaul, says report

The US Congress needs to establish a national public health council to advise the government on public health issues and to review the policies of other agencies for their impact on the national health, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

More reliable funding, improved organisation, and better coordination with other government agencies are needed, says the report. It urges public health agencies to develop public and private sector partnerships to work with the present system and devise new …