Law Commons^™

A Chance To Save Lives: A Guide For How And Why The Us Should Mandate Vaccines For Children And Limit State Exemption Laws, Lauren Zidones

Akron Law Review

Vaccines have helped increase the life expectancy for humans in the 20th century and have reduced the number of deaths associated with infectious diseases. Despite efforts by the CDC, state and local governments, and other public health agencies, infectious diseases are still a major cause of illness, disability, and death. Steps must be taken to address the continued rise of vaccine-preventable diseases in America. Eliminating or limiting state exemptions for mandatory vaccinations for school-aged children is the simplest way to address this growing issue. However, a population of parents argue for absolute parental rights and stand against any vaccine exemption …

Informed Consent: No Longer Just What The Doctor Ordered? Revisited, Marc D. Ginsberg

Akron Law Review

The law of informed consent in medicine has evolved from the original doctrine which required the physician’s disclosure of the risks, benefits, and complications of (and alternatives to) a proposed procedure or treatment. The doctrine now implicates the disclosure of matters personal to the physician. Questions regarding the breadth of the doctrine in other respects have developed as well. This paper represents the author’s second examination of the unconventional aspects of the law of informed consent.

For Whom The Bell (Equitably) Tolls: Erisa Compliance And Denial Of Benefits Notices Circuit Split, Sarah Smith

Akron Law Review

The circuit courts are split as to how a plan administrator of an ERISA-governed employee benefit plan must notify a claimant of a time limitation placed on a claimant’s ability to seek judicial review of an adverse benefit decision. Some courts indicate that inclusion of this time limitation in the Summary Plan Description is sufficient to notify a claimant. Other courts have held that the time period must specifically be included in adverse determination notices, which are documents notifying claimants of the denial of their claim and the right to judicial review. Much of the debate among courts concerns the …

Reforming The Mental Health Law Of Ohio, James K. Feldman

Akron Law Review

IT WAS A COLD, SNOWY DAY toward the end of November, 1859. C. P. Wolcott, one of Akron's prominent attorneys, bundled up on the seat of his "buckboard," was driving his team all about town, trying to obtain affidavits from various citizens of his community who could testify to his client's mad delusions, and thereby save him from execution for charges arising from his attempt to seize the federal army arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, the previous October 16th. John Brown, married and the father of 20 children, was sentenced to be hanged on December 2nd. The client sincerely believed …

Congress Takes A Look At A No-Fault Proposal For Medical Malpractice: Some Observations, David E. Beitzel

Akron Law Review

EVEN A CURSORY GLANCE at the news media in the recent past indicates that problems in the area of medical malpractice are rising to turbulent heights. For example, newspapers are increasingly printing long and passionate letters-to-the-editor dispraising numerous circumstances and individual types, which are allegedly the cause of the problem. The primary development, which caused the initiation of this storm, is the rising premium rate for medical malpractice insurance.' The pinch on the physician's pocketbook has resulted in outcries of frustration and anger from the medical community. Objects of these attacks have included the insurance industry, the legal profession, and …

State Funding Of Nontherapeutic Abortions; Medicaid Plans; Equal Protection; Right To Choose An Abortion; Beal V. Doe, Maher V. Roe, Poelker V. Doe, Constance Leistiko

Akron Law Review

In Beal v. Doe the United States Supreme Court held that Title XIX of the Social Security Act permits but does not require states participating in the Medicaid program established by that Act to fund nontherapeutic abortions. In the companion cases of Maher v. Roe and Poelker v. Doe, the same majority held in Maher that the Equal Protection Clause does not require a state that funds childbirth and therapeutic abortions to also fund the costs of nontherapeutic abortions, and in Poelker, that the Constitution does not prohibit a state or city from forbidding the performance of elective …

The New Ohio Mental Health Act, Janice Gui, Sandra S. Braden, John J. Lavin

Akron Law Review

The purpose of this comment is to highlight the new procedural and substantive rights that are now guaranteed to the person sought to be committed for mental illness. The writers seek to evaluate it against a background of social and medical desirability, as well as constitutional mandates. One should keep in mind that our current method of dealing with the mentally ill is by no means either universal or necessary. Other societies have used different methods; some have been less compassionate, while others have been more so. In order to attempt to place Ohio's law in this broad perspective, the …

The Antitrust Laws And The Health Industry, Robert P. Borsody

Akron Law Review

"The health industry is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors of the nation's economy, yet in the past, trade regulation cases arising in this area have been disproportionately few. Today this is changing. The courts and regulatory agencies have increasingly held the attitude that if physicians and health care providers wish to reap the benefits of commercial activity they must bear the burden of competition, including trade regulation."

An Evaluation Of Regulatory Standards And Enforcement Devices In The Nursing Home Industry, James L. Miller

Akron Law Review

This comment will encompass three areas. First, the economic structure of the nursing home industry and existing problems will be described. Second, current regulatory standards and enforcement devices which have been developed by federal agencies to deal with these problems will be explored. Third, the recent enactment of Ohio legislation which not only confers various rights upon nursing home residents but also seeks to eliminate institutional abuse through the implementation of adaptive enforcement devices, will be examined. In addition, the Ohio nursing home "bill of rights" will be looked at in conjunction with similar legislation passed in New York.

Release From Confinement Of Persons Acquitted By Reason Of Insanity In Ohio, Caryl A. Hess

Akron Law Review

The Court also held that the committing court, "... a tribunal composed of the judge of the court of common pleas of Allen county, the superintendent of the Lima state hospital, an alienist to be designated by said judge and superintendent, or a majority of them," can make the "restored to reason" determination and order release. This note focuses on the relationship between acquittal and release standards.

Wrongful Birth; Preconception Torts; Duty To Inform Of Genetic Risks; Becker V. Schwartz, Gail White Sweeney

Akron Law Review

Both pairs of parents sued on their own behalfs for (1) the expenses incurred in the care and treatment of the infants and for (2) the mental distress caused them by the birth of a defective child. They also sought damages on behalf of the children for (3) wrongful life. The Court of Appeals acknowledged the first claim as valid, but dismissed the second and third. It dismissed the claims for damages for emotional distress on the precedent of its 1977 decision in Howard v. Lecher and upon the difficulty of ascertaining the value of mitigated damages prescribed by Restatement …

The Buying And Selling Of Human Organs From The Living: Why Not?, Timothy M. Hartman

Akron Law Review

This article will examine the propriety of establishing a system for the sale of human organs, especially the kidney. Initially, the debilitating malady of end stage renal disease will be discussed as will the marginal "cure" of the disease via hemodialysis. Next, the superior alternative to dialysis, i.e., kidney transplantation will be discussed in two ways. First, the current procedure of using living, related donors will be examined as well as harvesting kidneys from cadaver "donors". Second, the practice of transplantation will be explored for its ramifications to society and the participants in the following areas: medicine, psychology, and the …

Des And The Identification Problem, Barry S. Roberts, Charles F. Royster

Akron Law Review

This article will examine the history of this drug, how it was used and regulated as well as the subsequent legal turmoil and the proffered resolutions to the quandary. The impact of these theories and of proposals to "further strengthen product liability laws as a substitute for direct government intervention"' will also be studied.

Wrongful Life, Turpin V. Sortini, Janet A. Laufer

Akron Law Review

In the past fifteen years, several state appellate courts have considered wrongful birth and wrongful life causes of action. While the modern trend is to allow wrongful birth causes of action, few courts have permitted wrongful life actions to be maintained. On May 3, 1982, the California Supreme Court, in Turpin v. Sortini became the first state high court to allow a wrongful life cause of action. This casenote will examine the reasoning of the Turpin court in allowing the wrongful life claim. While Turpin appears to signal a new trend in this area of tort law, there is little …

Ohio's Statute Of Limitations, Baird V. Loeffler, Amy L. O'Neil

Akron Law Review

The decision in Baird v. Loeffler is another victory for physicians and medical malpractice insurers. It will not be well accepted by plaintiff's attorneys or by others who advocate the rights of patients, especially minors, to be compensated for injuries sustained by them due to a physician's negligence. The case focuses on an amendment to the Ohio Medical Malpractice Statute which became effective July 28, 1975. The issue in Baird is the proper statutory construction that should be given to the statute where a minor's cause of action arose prior to the effective date of the statute. In effect, the …

Right To Privacy; Removal Of Life-Support Systems; Leach V. Akron General Medical Center, Stephanie Zembar

Akron Law Review

The decision in Leach v. Akron General Medical Center, marked Summit County's acceptance of the trend allowing the removal of life support systems from an incompetent terminally ill patient. Technological advancements have enabled the medical profession to maintain a person indefinitely in a chronic vegetative state. These advancements have blurred traditional definitions of death and have raised legal, medical and ethical questions to be resolved within our court system. The Leach case was one of first impression in Ohio, and the decision should aid in establishing a framework from which members of the legal and medical professions, as well …

Medical Expense Reimbursement Plans - Planning Opportunities Under The Final Section 105(H) Regulations, David L. Wolfe

Akron Law Review

Because these new standards impact significantly upon preexisting medical expense reimbursement plans, this article will present a general overview of the traditional tax treatment of payments under such plans, describe the new nondiscrimination standards and their effective date, as well as outline several planning opportunities which remain available in this area.

Aids: A Legal Epidemic?, Robert S. Burns

Akron Law Review

The purpose of this comment is to provide the legal community with a comprehensive consideration of some of the major legal implications of AIDS. While the knowledge about AIDS at present is limited, it is nonetheless hoped that this comment will serve as a catalyst for other legal writers to consider the myriad legal problems involved with this serious new disease.

This comment will be divided into two major sections. First, the history, effects, and potential causes of AIDS will be explored in an effort to provide a framework for future analysis. Second, the legal implications of AIDS will be …

The Unconstitutionality Of Ohio's Medical Malpractice Statute Of Limitations: Minors And Equal Protection, Eric A. Brandt

Akron Law Review

As with all laws, statutes of limitations must apply equally to all persons unless reasonable grounds permit the legislating body to make distinctions between classes of persons affected by the law. Laws that operate unequally, unfairly and unreasonably when applied to the public are unconstitutional. The Ohio Supreme Court addressed was the constitutionality of an Ohio medical malpractice statute of limitations in Schwan v. Riverside Methodist Hospital.

Statute Of Limitations: Discovery Rule For Malpractice, Linda C. Ashar

Akron Law Review

IN OLIVER V. KAISER COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION the Ohio Supreme Court adopted the discovery standard for medical malpractice actions, which are subject to Ohio's one-year statute of limitations. In Oliver the court held that a medical malpractice cause of action "accrues and the statute of limitations commences to run when the patient discovers, or in the exercise of reasonable care and diligence should have discovered, the resulting injury." Shortly after Oliver, the court applied the discovery rule to legal malpractice cases in Skidmore & Hall v. Rottman. The discovery standard replaces Ohio's previously judicially adopted rule of termination of …

Organ Transplant Crisis: Should The Deficit Be Eliminated Through Inter Vivos Sales?, Richard M. Boyce

Akron Law Review

In response to what has been characterized as the "last remaining obstacle to transplantation," Senator Warren Hatch introduced a bill on October 20, 1983 which would establish a task force to investigate and make recommendations to Congress about the problem. Hearings and debate on the bill are scheduled to resume with the next Congress. Its future is bleak with the administration opposing it and the budget-cutting axe being resharpened. Regardless of the bill's outcome, the problem of supplying anatomical organs will continue to present a host of moral, political, and most importantly, legal issues which must be resolved if society …

The Child Abuse Amendments Of 1984: The Infant Doe Amendment, Daniel J. Mumaw

Akron Law Review

This comment focuses upon a new area of child abuse prevention, that of the withholding of medical treatment from disabled newborns. Section one discusses the increased public awareness of the extent of this practice. Section two presents the initial government response to widespread publicity of the practice. Section three examines the Congressional response to this problem via the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984. Due to the widespread publicity of one particular case, In re Infant Doe, the portion of the Amendment concerning the withholding of medical treatment from disabled newborns is commonly referred to as the Infant Doe Amendment. …

Ohio's Need To Enact A Living Will Statute And Recognize The Terminally Ill Patient's Right To Death With Dignity, Frank G. Mazgaj

Akron Law Review

This article discusses the use of "living wills" as a method for permitting a terminally ill patient to forego or terminate life-sustaining treatment. First, the constitutional issues, description, and medical and legal considerations of "living wills" will be explored. Secondly, alternative methods to forego or terminate life-sustaining treatment will be discussed. Finally, this article will analyze Ohio's proposed "living will" statute, and offer corresponding recommendations.

Product Liability - Can It Kick The Smoking Habit?, William Kepko

Akron Law Review

This comment, divided into two major sections, will review the reasons for past inability to collect damages from the tobacco industry and explore possible theories of recovery that may be advanced in the new round of pending litigation.

Prozac: Another Drug Wrongfully Attacked - What Can Be Done To Stop The Legal System From Driving Good Drugs Off The Market, While Protecting State And Federal Interests, Melinda M. Katz

Akron Law Review

This Comment will examine the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a regulatory agency, and the status of pharmaceutical products liability. The Comment will describe Prozac, an antidepressant drug currently caught in the products liability dilemma; its compliance with FDA regulations; and opposition to the drug since FDA approval. The Comment will then review American problems with pharmaceutical products liability, and solutions that other commentators have proposed. Finally, the Comment will propose that Congress erect barriers to filing claims against manufacturers for drugs that meet or exceed a higher level of FDA approval, like Bendectin and Prozac, through a …

Grover V. Eli Lilly & Co. Des Exposure: The Rippling Effects Stop Here, Lisa A. Naploi

Akron Law Review

This Note first discusses the nature of DES, prenatal torts, and preconception torts. The Note then reviews product liability law in Ohio. The remainder of the Note analyzes the Grover decision and discusses its impact on public policy.

Redrafting Ohio's Advance Directive Laws, Susan R. Martyn, James E. Reagan, Brendan Minogue, Debra L. Dippel, Maria R. Schimer, Robert Taraszewski

Akron Law Review

The Bioethics Network of Ohio (BENO) held its second annual conference on June 12, 1992 at Ohio Dominican College, Columbus, Ohio. Attendees recommended that a Task Force' review Ohio's Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPAHC) and Modified Uniform Rights for the Terminally Ill (MURTIA) laws and suggest changes that would retain the basic structure of these provisions but also simplify and clarify their meaning. The Task Force completed a draft in six months and circulated it to approximately 450 individual and institutional BENO members. About one hundred members responded and this article incorporates most of their comments.

Belgian Health Care: A System Worth Studying, Douglas John Maragas

Akron Law Review

This article will focus on basic information pertinent to the Belgian system. A more extensive explanation of the Belgian system, and a proposed American health care plan adapted from the Belgian system, can be found in my report: "A Comprehensive Health Care System Incorporating Public and Private Enterprise: With the Belgian system as a Base, America can Develop a Cost Efficient Comprehensive Health Care System."

Healthcare Reform Symposium September 18, 1992

Akron Law Review

I would like to talk a little bit about what the right questions are when we go about looking at the reform of health care.

Should everyone be guaranteed a health care plan? If you're going to have a universal health care plan, how do you provide universal coverage, how will you expand coverage? How can we pay for it? Who do you think should administer the health care program?

Staffing National Health Care Reform: A Role For Advanced Practice Nurses, Linda H. Aiken, William M. Sage

Akron Law Review

Expanding access and coverage while containing costs can only be accomplished by getting more health care value for our money. Two facts about our current system make this seem possible. First, the currently uninsured are not costless. Providing stop-gap health care to those who lack health insurance is extremely expensive -- people without formal coverage cannot afford preventive services, delay treatment of illness and face substantial barriers to reaching appropriate providers. When they receive care, it is often degrading, usually complicated and costly, and more than occasionally too late. The cost of this "uncompensated" care is borne by all of …