PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

Philadelphia Code tit. 6, ch. 6-200

in effect

Philadelphia Code § 6-201 Listing of Diseases.

§ 6-201. Listing of Diseases. (1) The Board may by regulation establish separate lists of communicable, reportable and quarantinable diseases, which lists shall include all diseases so designated by the Board and shall form the basis for the controls and requirements hereinafter established for communicable, reportable or quarantinable diseases.

Philadelphia Code § 6-202 Responsibilities of Physicians, Osteopaths, Veterinarians, and Other Persons.

§ 6-202. Responsibilities of Physicians, Osteopaths, Veterinarians, and Other Persons. (1) Any physician, osteopath or veterinarian who treats any person or any animal having any reportable disease shall forthwith report the existence of such disease to the Department in writing or in such form and manner as the Board may be regulation prescribe. (2) Any physician or osteopath who treats any person for an injury resulting from a gunshot wound or weapon related injury, or attends a death resulting from a gunshot wound or weapon related injury, shall forthwith report the occurrence of such injury or death to the Department of Health in writing or in such form and manner as the Board may by regulation prescribe. (3) Any physician, osteopath or veterinarian who treats any person or any animal for a communicable disease in a communicable stage shall inform such person treated or the owner of such animal treated and any other appropriate person of the nature and communicability of such disease and the need for treatment and the requirements of isolation or quarantine in such manner as the Board may by regulation prescribe to insure proper notification and clear warning of the dangers thereof. (4) Every person shall render such information and reports to the Department as may be required by this Title or by such regulations as the Board may prescribe to insure the proper control of communicable diseases or to aid in the formulation and review of municipal programs for the promotion of the health of the public. The regulations of the Board may limit the release of such information where such restrictions are necessary to encourage persons to render and report the information. Notes 26 | Amended, Bill No. 909 (approved May 1, 1995), 1995 Ordinances, p. 535.

Philadelphia Code § 6-203 Examinations.

§ 6-203. Examinations. (1) The Department may order the examination of any person having or reasonably suspected of having any venereal disease, active tuberculosis or any other communicable disease which is dangerous to human life and which is transmissible through human contact or close human association. (2) The Department may order the examination of any person in any food establishment who is involved in the preparation or service of food or who comes in contact with any eating or cooking equipment therein or who is employed in a room in which food is prepared or served in order to insure effective diagnosis and control of communicable disease which is readily transmissible under such circumstances. (3) All examinations provided for in this Section may be conducted by any physician or osteopath but shall be conducted in accordance with such regulations as the Board may prescribe to insure effective diagnosis and control of communicable disease.

Philadelphia Code § 6-204 Quarantine and Isolation.

§ 6-204. Quarantine and Isolation. (1) The Department may order the isolation of any person found by the attending physician, osteopath, or by the Department to have any disease listed by the Board as a quarantinable disease in the place, for such period and in such manner as the Board may by regulation prescribe in order to protect public health and to prevent the spread of such disease. (2) The Department may order the quarantine of any person who is reasonably suspected of having or being exposed to any disease listed by the Board as a quarantinable disease in the place and in such manner as the Board may by regulation prescribe in order to protect the public health and prevent the spread of such disease, but such quarantine shall continue only until such time as a prompt and timely determination is made with the approval of the Department whether any person so quarantined does in fact have or is exposed to any such disease. (3) The Department may order the isolation of any person found by the attending physician, osteopath, or by the Department to be a carrier of any disease listed by the Board as a quarantinable disease in the place, for such period and in such manner as the Board may by regulation prescribe in order to prevent the spread of disease through such carriers. (4) The Board may by regulation prescribe such requirements for the transportation, distribution and delivery of the bodies of persons who have died or who are reasonably suspected of having died from any quarantinable disease as may be necessary to protect the public health from the further spread of such disease. (5) The Department may order, in such manner as the Board may by regulation prescribe, to control the spread of disease: (a) the destruction of the bedding, clothing, or other immediate personal effects of any person found to have any disease listed by the Board as a quarantinable disease; (b) the disinfection of the private residence in which such person has lived or the establishment or institution in which such person has been during his infection or exposure; (c) the impounding of the bedding, clothing, or other personal articles of any person who is reasonably suspected of having or being exposed to any disease listed by the Board as a quarantinable disease pending a determination of whether such person does have or has been exposed to such disease.

Philadelphia Code § 6-205 Emergency Epidemic Control.

§ 6-205. Emergency Epidemic Control. (1) Where a communicable disease which constitutes a serious danger to health is spreading either in the City or in the communities surrounding the City, and threatens to reach epidemic proportions unless immediately controlled; where the danger thereof is such that the Board does not have time to list the said disease as quarantinable and issue regulations for its effective control; and where the Mayor of the City has suspended the requirements of Section 8-407 of the Charter, the Department shall have the authority to issue orders, which shall be effective until the Board may meet and promulgate regulations, listing said disease as a quarantinable disease and providing for quarantine or isolation of persons who have, or are reasonably suspected of having, or have been exposed to such disease, providing for the control of animals, the control of environmental sanitation, and for such other measures as are necessary to prevent the spread of said disease.

Philadelphia Code § 6-206 Prevention of Congregation of Persons.

§ 6-206. Prevention of Congregation of Persons. (1) Whenever an epidemic of a listed quarantinable disease or whenever an emergency as described in subsection 6-205(1) is found to exist or to be seriously threatened, the Department may in accordance with the regulations of the Board, or by order, as the case may be, forbid congregation of persons at schools, theaters, swimming places, or any public place where such measure is necessary to prevent the spread of such disease.

Philadelphia Code § 6-207 Testing Lead Levels in Children.

§ 6-207. Testing Lead Levels in Children. (1) A physician who, for any reason, is treating a child between the ages of 9 months and 21 months whose blood lead level has not previously been tested after nine months of age shall test the blood lead level of the child at the first practical opportunity. (2) A physician treating a child between the ages of 21 months and 72 months whose blood lead level has not been tested once after the age of 21 months shall test the blood lead level of the child at the first practical opportunity. (3) Exemptions. (a) A child shall not be tested in connection with a treatment visit if the physician or his or her designee certifies in writing that blood lead level testing may be detrimental to the health of the child. (b) A child shall not be tested if the child's parent or guardian objects in writing to the testing on religious, moral, ethical or other grounds. (4) The Board of Health shall establish by regulation rules regarding lead testing of children, including special testing for high risk groups of children, additional testing of lead-poisoned children and preferred methods of testing. (5) The results of any such testing for blood lead level shall be reported to the Department pursuant to such requirements as may be determined by the Board of Health by regulation. (6) The Department of Public Health shall conduct a public information campaign, including through the distribution of culturally and linguistically appropriate information, that educates physicians and the public on the requirements of this Section 6-207. Notes 27 | Repealed, Bill No. 170795 (approved January 3, 2018); added, Bill No. 180937-A (approved June 5, 2019).

Philadelphia Code § 6-208 Examination During Pregnancy.

§ 6-208. Examination During Pregnancy. (1) Every physician or osteopath who takes a blood sample from a pregnant woman during the period of gestation shall do so in the manner prescribed by such regulations as the Board may prescribe to guarantee proper and timely diagnosis of syphilis and shall submit the blood sample to a laboratory conducted and maintained in accordance with such regulations as the Board may prescribe to ensure accurate diagnosis.

Philadelphia Code § 6-209 Pre-School Examination.

§ 6-209. Pre-School Examination. (1) The Board may by regulation require the examination of children of immediate pre-school age in order to insure the early diagnosis of disease. Any regulations so issued shall permit such examination to be conducted by any physician or osteopath but shall require that it be conducted in accordance with such requirements as the Board may establish to insure early diagnosis or to prevent the spread of disease.

Philadelphia Code § 6-210 Immunization.

§ 6-210. Immunization. (1) Whenever it is necessary to control effectively the spread of communicable disease, the Department may, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Board, require the immunization of any person against any communicable disease listed and designated by the Board as one against which immunization is effective. (2) No person shall attend any school, other than colleges or universities, unless it is established through vaccination procedure, as prescribed by the regulations of the Board, that such person is immune from smallpox.

Philadelphia Code § 6-211 Advertisement.

§ 6-211. Advertisement. (1) All advertisement of treatment, prophylaxis, diagnosis or cure of venereal disease shall comply with such regulations as the Board may prescribe to prevent false or misleading advertising.

Philadelphia Code § 6-212 Sale of Drugs.

§ 6-212. Sale of Drugs. (1) No person shall knowingly sell at retail any drug for use in the prevention or treatment of venereal disease except upon the prescription of a physician, osteopath or dentist.

Philadelphia Code § 6-213 Animals.

§ 6-213. Animals. (1) The Board may by regulation prescribe such restraints or controls on animals as it shall find necessary to prevent the spread of any disease transmissible from animals to human beings. Such regulations may include and require, but shall not be limited to: (a) The examination and quarantine or isolation of any animal having, exposed to, or reasonably suspected of having such disease; (b) The protection of any animal against such disease; (c) The seizure of any animal found unrestrained or uncontrolled in violation of such regulations; (d) The humane disposal of animals having, or reasonably suspected of having, such disease where necessary for the protection of the public health; (e) The transportation, distribution, delivery and disposal of the bodies of animals which have died or which are reasonably suspected of having died from such disease; (f) Restrictions on the importation of animals having, exposed to, or reasonably suspected of having such disease; (g) The extermination of arthropods and rodents or other disease carriers and the elimination of their breeding sources or places of harborage, including the storage or disposal of manure. Notes 28 | Amended, 1961 Ordinances, p. 945 (previous Section 6-213 deleted and previous Section 6-214 redesignated as Section 6-213).

Philadelphia Code § 6-214 Water Fluoridation.

§ 6-214. Water Fluoridation. (1) The Commissioner of Public Health is authorized, when funds are made available by City Council for such purpose, to introduce fluorine into the City's water supply with cooperation of the Water Department, in such quantities as may in his judgment be safe, but in no event to exceed one part of fluorine per one million parts of water, by weight. (2) The Health Commissioner is directed to make application to the Department of Health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for permission to introduce fluorine into the City's water supply. Notes 29 | Source: 1951 Ordinances, p. 988; amended, 1961 Ordinances, p. 945 (previous Section 6-215 redesignated as Section 6-214).

Philadelphia Code § 6-215 Drug Overdose Reporting Requirements.

§ 6-215. Drug Overdose Reporting Requirements. (1) Each emergency room or department that treats one or more persons for a drug overdose, or for symptoms of withdrawal as the result of drug use, within the quarterly reporting period shall report the following to the Department on a quarterly basis: (a) aggregated information on all such occurrences, and (b) a narrative description of substance use disorder treatment resources the emergency department provided to such patients. (2) The report required by subsection 6-215(1) shall be in such form and substance as the Board may by regulation prescribe, and the aggregated information required by subsection 6-215(1)(a) shall, at a minimum, include the number of patients who, within the reporting period, were treated in the emergency department either for a drug overdose, symptoms of withdrawal as the result of drug use, or both. The report shall also include the number of such patients who, at the time of discharge, were: (a) Provided the substance use disorder treatment resources identified by the emergency department pursuant to subsection 6-215(1)(b). (b) Scheduled to attend an initial appointment with a substance use treatment provider that has agreed to provide treatment to such patient and such patient has agreed to attend for the purpose of receiving treatment. (c) Provided a take-home dose of naloxone. (3) The report required by subsection 6-215(1) shall include such other aggregated information related to the treatment and discharge of patients for a drug overdose, or for symptoms of withdrawal as the result of drug use, as the Board by regulation may direct. Such information may include, but need not be limited to, aggregated information related to the treatment provided to such patients in the emergency room, information and prescriptions provided to such patients on discharge, and the specific types of substance use disorder treatment such patients are scheduled to attend upon discharge. (4) Aggregated patient information that references a group of fewer than ten (10) patients shall be confidential and shall not be subject to public disclosure or disclosure outside the Department. (5) The Health Commissioner shall submit on a quarterly basis a written report to the Chief Clerk of Council stating the number of emergency rooms and departments that have submitted reports to the Department pursuant to this Section 6-215 during the immediately preceding quarterly reporting period. (6) Penalties. Any emergency room or department that violates the provisions of this Section 6-215 shall be subject to the applicable penalties imposed by Section 6-103 of this Title. Notes 30 | Added, Bill No. 190864 (approved December 30, 2019). Section 2 of Bill No. 190864 provides: "This Ordinance shall be effective upon a date set forth in regulations of the Board of Health, not less than sixty (60) days after such regulations become effective."

Philadelphia Code § 6-216 COVID-19 Vaccination Rebate Voucher Program.

§ 6-216. COVID-19 Vaccination Rebate Voucher Program. (1) (a) In order to ensure the health and well being of the residents of Philadelphia during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Public Health shall establish a program, in conjunction with the Department of Revenue, to incentivize residents and property owners of Philadelphia to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. The program shall, at a minimum, include the following: (.1) Gift certificates in the amount of fifty dollars ($50) redeemable in a manner to be determined by the City; (.2) Forms for residents and property owners of Philadelphia to verify residency and COVID-19 vaccination status; and (.3) Systems for the City to credit the holders' respective account in the amount of the gift certificate. (b) No person shall receive more than one gift certificate under this subsection (1) and the credit amount shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50) per person. Immunizations must have occurred on or after the date of enactment of this subsection (1). (c) The total number of gift certificates issued shall be capped at one hundred thousand (100,000). The gift certificates shall be issued on a first come, first served basis. (2) (a) In order to ensure the health and well being of the residents of Philadelphia during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Public Health shall establish a program, in conjunction with the Department of Revenue, the Gas Works, and the Water Department to incentivize residents and property owners of Philadelphia to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. The program shall, at a minimum, include the following: (.1) Vouchers in the amount of fifty dollars ($50) redeemable for credit with the Gas Works or Water Department, provided that the City shall reimburse the Gas Works and Water Department in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the vouchers redeemed; (.2) Forms for residents and property owners of Philadelphia to verify residency and COVID-19 vaccination status; and (.3) System for the Water Department and the Gas Works to credit the holders' respective account in the amount of the voucher. (b) No person shall receive more that one voucher under this subsection (2) and the credit amount shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50) per person. Immunizations must have occurred on or after the date of enactment of this subsection (2). (c) The total number of vouchers issued shall be capped at one hundred thousand (100,000). The vouchers shall be issued on a first come, first served basis. Notes 31 | Added, Bill No. 210510 (approved September 15, 2021) and Bill No. 210511 (became law September 17, 2021). Bill No. 210510 added as subsection (1) and Bill No. 210511 added as subsection (2) at the discretion of the Code editor. Section 2 of both bills provide that the provisions shall sunset one year from enactment.

Source: City of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Code and Home Rule Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-272691Fetched: 10/27/2026