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Parens Patriae And Parental Rights: When Should The State Override Parental Medical Decisions?, Elchanan G. Stern
Parens Patriae And Parental Rights: When Should The State Override Parental Medical Decisions?, Elchanan G. Stern
Journal of Law and Health
Alfie Evans was a terminally ill British child whose parents, clinging to hope, were desperately trying to save his life. Hospital authorities disagreed and petitioned the court to enjoin the parents from removing him and taking him elsewhere for treatment. The court stepped in and compelled the hospital to discontinue life support and claimed that further treatment was not in the child’s best interest. This note discusses the heartbreaking stories of Alfie and two other children whose parents’ medical decisions on their behalf were overridden by the court. It argues that courts should never decide that death is in a …
Negative Portrayal Of Vaccines By Commercial Websites: Tortious Misrepresentation, Donald C. Arthur
Negative Portrayal Of Vaccines By Commercial Websites: Tortious Misrepresentation, Donald C. Arthur
University of Massachusetts Law Review
Commercial website publishers use false and misleading information to create distrust of vaccines by claiming vaccines are ineffective and contain contaminants that cause autism and other disorders. The misinformation has resulted in decreased childhood vaccination rates and imperiled the public by allowing resurgence of vaccine-preventable illnesses. This Article argues that tort liability attaches to publishers of commercial websites for foreseeable harm that results when websites dissuade parents from vaccinating their children in favor of purchasing alternative products offered for sale on the websites.