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Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act


Update

PREP Act Coverage and Mpox: Frequently Asked Questions


The existing PREP Act declaration for smallpox also applies to mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) and other orthopox viruses. Find out how the existing PREP Act declaration protects providers when they administer medical countermeasures to address mpox and learn more about other implications of this declaration.

Read the FAQ


The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to issue a PREP Act declaration. The declaration provides immunity from liability (except for willful misconduct) for claims:

  • of loss caused, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from administration or use of countermeasures to diseases, threats and conditions
  • determined by the Secretary to constitute a present, or credible risk of a future public health emergency
  • to entities and individuals involved in the development, manufacture, testing, distribution, administration, and use of such countermeasures

A PREP Act declaration is specifically for the purpose of providing immunity from liability, and is different from, and not dependent on, other emergency declarations.

COVID-19 PREP Act Declarations

The end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration does not automatically terminate PREP Act coverage. To learn more, view our COVID-19 PREP Act FAQs.


Other Current PREP Act Declarations























PREP Act

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