Law Commons^™

Distributed Governance Of Medical Ai, W. Nicholson Price Ii

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to democratize expertise in medicine, bring expertise previously limited to specialists to a variety of health-care settings. But AI can easily falter, and making sure that AI works well across that variety of settings is a challenging task. Centralized governance, such as review by the Food and Drug Administration, can only do so much, since system performance will depend on the particular health-care setting and how the AI system is integrated into setting-specific clinical workflows. This Essay presents the need for distributed governance, where some oversight tasks are undertaken in localized settings. It points …

Crypto-Litigation: An Empirical Overview For 2020–Present, Moin A. Yahya, Nicole Pecharsky

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

This article is an empirical analysis of the past two years of litigation around cryptocurrencies and other crypto-assets. We collected data points, from nearly 300 cases, over the past two years and then classified them by the various litigated issues. This article provides a breakdown of these issues as well as the jurisdictions from where these cases come from. The discussion reviews a few notable cases to illustrate what kinds of disputes have been brought to the courts. As we move into a new round of litigation due to a recent drop in the prices of cryptocurrencies, we hope that …

The Deficiencies Of Oregon Ballot Measure 110, Jacob Towles

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

In 1970, the Federal Government enacted the Controlled Substance Act (CSA), which made certain drugs and substances illegal absent a medical prescription. The control of drugs through the CSA exists to prevent harm to the public. Nonetheless, some cities and states have enacted laws that allow for the benefit of selling or pleasure of using illegal drugs to outweigh the legal ramifications.

In November 2020, The Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act, also known as Oregon Ballot Measure 110 (Measure 110), made Oregon the first state in the country to decriminalize all drugs. Measure 110 was enacted with the overarching …

Cryptocurrency And Security Issues: The Tide Awaiting Ripple’S Decision, Robel Tsegu

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Bitcoin passed the test. Ethereum passed the test. Now, it is XRP’s turn. At the time of this writing, the SEC has the opportunity, through common law, to determine how to regulate the unregulated cryptocurrency world. This is a unique moment because guidance on SEC violations is usually promulgated through statutes, no-action letters, and quotes from SEC Commissioners, rather than common law. Therefore, the decision in SEC v. Ripple will pivot the direction on how cryptocurrencies and digital assets forever be used. Will this pivot be a “hard” or “soft” fork in how we use cryptocurrencies?

This Case Note argues …

Front Matter

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

No abstract provided.

Blockchain Disruption: Digital Assets Are Changing How We Do Business, Nick Curley

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Digital assets are changing the way businesses think about equity, labor, business models, and business organization. Digital assets, like Bitcoin or Ethereum, provide incredible opportunities to further align shareholders with the objectives of the entity.

Each time humanity advances its technology for ledgers, markets explode, and we witness immense wealth creation. Digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum are the next great step forward for ledger technology. While there are incredible opportunities to leverage this new technology, there are also incredible risks. There are many public examples of “hacks” of prominent blockchains like Ethereum and Solana. Blockchain technology has captured the …

Creating A United Front: Harmonizing The United States Regulatory Policies Surrounding Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Sydney Kossow

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Stem cell therapy is an imperative development in science and medicine that is heavily regulated worldwide. With the potential to cure illnesses, help understand disease development, and advance regenerative medicine, a harmonized regulatory policy is crucial to capitalize on the benefits of stem cells. This article examines an important topic of discussion surrounding stem cell therapy and research: the political debate on how and when embryonic stem cells can be used. In addition to examining ethical challenges, this article discusses the legal challenges surrounding using embryonic stem cells to inform regenerative therapies. Specifically, this article will examine the National Institute …

Front Matter

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

No abstract provided.

Oculogica: An Eye-Catching Innovation In Health Care And The Privacy Implications Of Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning In Diagnostics For The Human Brain, Samantha V. Ettari, Elijah Roden, Vishal Ahuja, Uzma Samadani

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

This article explores the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in emerging eye-tracking diagnostic technology, with a focus on both the patient data privacy and security regulations that firms, specifically device inventors and manufacturers, may face and how such firms can address the developing privacy and regulatory legal challenges. In addition, we discuss the ethical considerations of algorithmic bias, the impact such biases have on society and emerging technology, along with specific actions companies should take to maximize patient outcomes. Lastly, we offer a case study of Oculogica, an emerging digital health technology company—and its medical device (EyeBOX) – to illustrate …

Death Of The Limited License To Data: United States V. Van Buren, Nick Curley

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

The United States Supreme Court has normally viewed data as property. Yet in United States v. Van Buren, the Court abandoned the property law angle. Van Buren included examination of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act’s applicability to a police officer who accepted a bribe from undercover agents to look up a phony license plate. The Court held that under the CFAA someone only “exceeds authorized access” when they properly access a computer and then improperly access files “that are off limits to [them].”

This Case Note explores why the Supreme Court should not have abandoned the property analogy …

In The Midst Of A Global Pandemic: Benefits Of A Biomedical Patenting Regime, Amy Q. Nguyen

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

There has long been a debate centered around genomic and biomedical data patenting. The opposition expresses concern that the patenting of genomic and biomedical data will hinder the manufacturing and distribution of medical and scientific discoveries to those who need them. On the other hand, supporters of patenting genomic and biomedical data explain that patents are beneficial. For example, genomic and biomedical patents allow pharmaceutical companies and research labs to recoup their massive investments in researching and developing new medical and scientific methodologies and technologies. Patents also incentivize these companies to make discoveries to prevent future pandemics and diseases.

In …

Will Nfts Solve Some Of The Age-Old Problems In Art Law?, Ursula Von Schlenhenried

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Non-Fungible Tokens, or NFTs, are digital assets based on blockchain technology and are steadily growing in popularity in the art market. The technology has created a novel way of establishing ownership through tamper-resistant cryptographic records. A majority of NFTs are created via the Ethereum protocol and are most notably associated with other assets, such as digital art. Even prominent auction houses, like Christie’s, have joined the action. NFTs offer a whole host of new and interesting legal concerns, including questions surrounding smart contracts. The concerns surrounding traditional art, however, are long-standing and include (but are not limited to) provenance, authenticity, …

Epistemology In Heterodox Economics?, Bret N. Bogenschneider

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

The epistemology of Heterodox Economics has been described as a type of methodological pluralism where its relativism is taken as consistent with new versions of science. However, methodological pluralism has severe drawbacks as a means of inquiry. Whereas Economics is often understood in positivist terms as a closed set, Heterodox Economics includes additional concepts and methods. As an open set of ideas, Heterodox Economics is a means to doubt or to not-know and comprises Einfühlung or the creative intuition for the introduction of new ideas into the epistemology of Economics.

Selling Out For A Song: “Artist Abuse” And Saving Creatives From Servitude And Economic Disadvantage In The Entertainment Industry, Rick G. Morris

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Artists drive the entertainment industry with their creative work, and in some cases, there are protections for artists when it comes to their work, wealth, and autonomy. However, the area of contracts called “private law,” under which artists’ contracts fall, is lightly regulated in comparison to other employment agreements. Artists, often at the beginning of their careers, are signed to long-term contracts that take advantage of them and do not provide adequate compensation. Artists might be locked into contractual arrangements that they cannot free themselves from. Sometimes, they are directly cheated. And much of this comes from people they trust, …

Lights, Camera, Action . . . As Long As You Live In The Proper Circuit: An Analysis Of The Circuit Split Concerning Civilians’ First Amendment Right To Record Police Officers, Chloe Cornett

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

While the United States Circuit Courts are not required to keep their precedents in synch, there are times when they should be. So-called “circuit splits” arise when the circuit courts divide themselves in a way that creates two competing schemes of caselaw. The core question of the split addressed in this Comment is whether or not there is an established First Amendment right for civilians to record police officers in public and, if so, whether that right ultimately defeats the doctrine of qualified immunity. The majority of circuits hold there is, while the minority point of view holds there is …

The Mysteries Of Nft Taxation And The Problem Of Crypto Asset Tax Evasion, Amy Q. Nguyen

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Cryptocurrencies have long captured the attention of the financial world, revolutionizing how the world does business by providing virtually costless transactions. More recently, however, a new digital token has taken its place on the world stage. Known as NFTs, non-fungible tokens have allowed for the reinvention of modern finance infrastructure consisting of sophisticated trading and loaning systems for different asset types. Despite cryptocurrencies’ and NFTs’ novelty and popularity, they are not immune to the U.S. Tax Code. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has provided guidance on the tax framework of cryptocurrencies, but the taxation of NFTs is still relatively unclear, …

Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing: Privacy Issues & Impacts On Biological Relatives, Quinn Prchal

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

Numerous direct-to-consumer genetic testing services now offer individuals genetic sequencing, testing, and ancestry mapping services outside of the traditional healthcare infrastructure and regulatory barriers. The rise of direct-to-consumer testing services presents policy questions on how to best protect consumers while still promoting future innovation. From a data privacy perspective, concerns include who can share other people’s genetic information, what entities can use the information, what happens if the information is stolen, and whether law enforcement, or other entities, can request information from a third party. The overarching concern is that once disclosed, genetic information often cannot be unshared or returned. …