Health Law and Policy Commons^™

When Terrorism Threatens Health: How Far Are Limitations On Personal And Ecomonic Liberties Justified, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The government is engaged in a homeland-security project to safeguard the population's health from potential terrorist attacks. This project is politically charged because it affords the state enhanced powers to restrict personal and economic liberties. Just as governmental powers relating to intelligence, law enforcement, and criminal justice curtail individual interests, so too do public health powers.

Clinical Uncertainty And Healthcare Disparities, Maxwell Gregg Bloche, Ana I. Balsa, Thomas G. Mcguire, Naomi Seiler

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The Institute of Medicine Report, Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities, affirms in its first finding: "Racial and ethnic disparities in health care exist and, because they are associated with worse outcomes in many cases, are unacceptable." The mechanisms that generate racial and ethnic disparities in medical care operate at the levels of the health care system and the clinical encounter. Research demonstrates the role of health care system factors, including differences in insurance coverage and other determinants of healthcare access, in producing disparities. Research also shows, however, that even when insurance status and other measures of access are …

Getting What We Should From Doctors: Rethinking Patient Autonomy And The Doctor-Patient Relationship, Roger B. Dworkin

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

The Politics Of Public Health: A Response To Epstein, Lawrence O. Gostin, Maxwell Gregg Bloche

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Conservatives are taking aim at the field of public health, targeting its efforts to understand and control environmental and social causes of disease. Richard Epstein and others contend that these efforts in fact undermine people’s health and well-being by eroding people’s incentives to create economic value. Public health, they argue, should stick to its traditional task—the struggle against infectious diseases. Because markets are not up to the task of controlling the transmission of infectious disease, Epstein says, coercive government action is required. But market incentives, not state action, he asserts, represent our best hope for controlling the chronic illnesses that …

The Invention Of Health Law, Maxwell Gregg Bloche

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

By default, the courts are inventing health law. The law governing the American health system arises from an unruly mix of statutes, regulations, and judge-crafted doctrines conceived, in the main, without medical care in mind. Courts are ill-equipped to put order to this chaos, and until recently they have been disinclined to try. But political gridlock and popular ire over managed care have pushed them into the breach, and the Supreme Court has become a proactive health policy player. How might judges make sense of health law's disparate doctrinal strands? Scholars from diverse ideological starting points have converged toward a …

It Is Not So Simply Because An Expert Says It Is So: The Reliability Of Gang Expert Testimony Regarding Membership In Criminal Street Gangs: Pushing The Limits Of Texas Rule Of Evidence 702., Placido G. Gomez

St. Mary's Law Journal

The mechanisms developed by the criminal justice system addressing the criminal activities of street gangs, for the most part, have proved ineffective. The evolution of gangs, their complex structure, and multipurpose focus keep them one step ahead of law enforcement. The most recent weapon created to fight the war on gangs, the civil injunction, suffers from numerous inadequacies. One concern is that civil injunctions raise numerous constitutional concerns. Another is that these injunctions fall short of constitutional demands. Furthermore, the practical implementation of the injunction forces an analysis of the reliability of the gang expert’s testimony. This Article proposes courts …

Dealing With Default Judgements., Julia F. Pendrey, Shawn M. Mccaskill, Hilaree A. Casada

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Punitive Damages In Texas: Examining The Need For A Split-Recovery Statute., Meredith Matheson Thoms

St. Mary's Law Journal

As a result of the increasing number and amounts of punitive damage awards, a call for reform is much warranted. Reformers and legislators continue to seek out measures to effectively limit excessive punitive damage awards and deter unnecessary and frivolous litigation. But they must consider not only the effects of the statutes but also the purposes they will serve. Split-recovery statutes can become valuable reform tool which will continue to serve the goals of punishment and retribution attached to punitive damages as well as deterrence. Split-recovery statutes arguably enlarge government, but they also serve a valuable purpose in furthering the …

Genetic Health And Eugenics Precedents: A Voice Of Caution, Larry Palmer

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Going To Pot, Carl E. Schneider

Articles

In several earlier columns, I suggested that judges are usually poorly placed to make good biomedical policy, not least because the law so rarely offers them direct and cogent guidance. Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit proffered a new example of this old problem. In 1996, California's voters approved Proposition 215. Its "Compassionate Use Act of 1996" provided -that a patient "who possesses or cultivates marijuana for the personal medical purposes of the patient upon the written or oral recommendation or approval of a physician" committed no crime.

Disasters First: Rethinking Environmental Law After September 11, Michael B. Gerrard

Faculty Scholarship

Many environmental statutes were enacted, or at least spurred along, in direct response to disasters. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 followed from the Santa Barbara Oil Spill; the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) resulted from the chemical gas disaster in Bhopal, India; the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) was sparked by the Love Canal incident; and the Oil Pollution Acte was a reaction to the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have led to the Homeland Security Act and to several other enactments. The collapse of the …

Genetic Health And Eugenics Precedents: A Voice Of Caution, Larry I. Palmer

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Hiv And The Direct Threat Defense, Katrina Atkins, Richard Bales

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Louisa Van Wezel Schwartz Symposium On Mental Health Issues In Correctional Institutions - Proceedings, Brenda V. Smith

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Now, you would think that I was as old as dirt after listening to that introduction. Well, the truth is, I am as old as dirt. And I told Paul Quander that we are both as old as dirt.

First, I want to thank Arlene for inviting me. Many, many months ago Arlene called and asked me if I would speak at this symposium on mental health in correctional institutions.

Why We Need The Independent Sector: The Behavior, Law, And Ethics Of Not-For-Profit Hospitals, Jill R. Horwitz

Articles

Among the major forms of corporate ownership, the not-for-profit ownership form is distinct in its behavior, legal constraints, and moral obligations. A new empirical analysis of the American hospital industry, using eleven years of data for all urban general hospitals in the country, shows that corporate form accounts for large differences in the provision of specific medical services. Not-for-profit hospitals systematically provide both private and public goods that are in the public interest, and that other forms fail to provide. Two hypotheses are proposed to account for the findings, one legal and one moral. While no causal claims are made, …

The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act: Its Problems And Remedies, Including The Possibility Of A United States Boxing Administration, Devin J. Burstein

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Reforming Civil Rights With Systems Reform: Health Care Disparities, Translation Services, & Safe Harbors, Sidney D. Watson

All Faculty Scholarship

Looking gaunt but determined, 59 year-old Robert Tools was introduced on August 21, 2001, as a medical miracle-the first surviving recipient of a fully implantable artificial heart. At a news conference, Tools spoke with emotion about his second chance at life and the quality of his care. His physician looked on with obvious affection, grateful and honored to have extended Tools's life. Mr. Tools has since lost his battle for life, but will be remembered as a hero for undergoing an experimental technology and paving the way for other patients to undergo the procedure. Moreover, the fact that Tools was …

Walking The Talk Of Trust In Human Subjects Research: The Challenge Of Regulating Financial Conflicts Of Interest, Robert Gatter

All Faculty Scholarship

There has been a call for more stringent regulation of financial conflicts of interest in human subjects research following the deaths of several individuals who volunteered to participate in human subjects research, which deaths were linked to the financial conflicts of interest of participating researchers and research institutions. Each proposal argues that regulation is necessary to restore trust in medical research. This Article examines whether proposed strategies for regulating financial conflicts of interest are likely to achieve the goal of a trustworthy human research enterprise. It does not question whether enhancing trustworthiness is an appropriate goal; rather, it assumes that …

Developing A Full And Fair Evidentiary Record In A Nonadversary Setting: Two Proposals For Improving Social Security Disability Adjudications, Jeffrey Lubbers, Frank S. Bloch, Paul R. Verkuil

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

Internet Pharmacies And The Need For A New Federalism: Protecting Consumers While Increasing Access To Prescription Drugs, Linda C. Fentiman

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

In this article I will argue that Internet pharmacies pose a significant public health problem, as they raise the classic eternal triangle of health care issues--access, quality, and financing--in a new technological context. Part II describes the phenomena of Internet pharmacies, and Part III reviews the present regulatory scheme. Part IV explains why the current legal framework is inadequate to address the public health and safety problems posed by Internet pharmacies, focusing particularly on the jurisdictional, constitutional, and practical obstacles to effective state oversight of Internet pharmacies. Part V argues that comprehensive federal oversight of Internet prescribing and dispensing is …

The Global Reach Of Hiv/Aids: Science, Politics, Economics, And Research, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

This Article examines the major social, political, economic, and ethical issues involved in the global HIV pandemic. First, it examines the steps needed to prevent and treat HIV effectively and examines why many leaders have not responded more forcefully. This Part discusses the intangible, but crucial, aspect of political will. Second, this Article looks at the divisive issue of drugs, patents, and international trade law. Highly developed countries usually want to uphold the patent system to protect the proprietary interests of drug companies, which keeps the price of HIV/AIDS drugs high, placing them out of the reach of resource-poor countries. …

Rethinking Legally Relevant Mental Disorder, Christopher Slobogin

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

The law insists on maintaining mental disorder as a predicate for a wide array of legal provisions, in both the criminal justice system and the civil law. Among adults, only a person with a "mental disease or defect" can escape conviction for an intentional, unjustified crime on grounds of cognitive or volitional impairment.' Only people with "mental illness" or "mental disorder" may be subjected to indeterminate preventive commitment based on dangerousness. Under the laws of many states, only people with a mental disorder are prevented from making decisions about treatment, criminal charges, wills, contracts, and a host of other important …

Privatization As Delegation, Gillian E. Metzger

Faculty Scholarship

Recent expansions in privatization of government programs mean that the constitutional paradigm of a sharp separation between public and private is increasingly at odds with the blurred public-private character of modern governance. While substantial scholarship exists addressing the administrative and policy impact of expanded privatization, heretofore little effort has been made to address this disconnect between constitutional law and new administrative reality. This Article seeks to remedy that deficiency. It argues that current state action doctrine is fundamentally inadequate to address the constitutional challenge presented by privatization. Current doctrine is insufficiently keyed to the ways that privatization involves delegation of …

The New Economic Credentialing: Protecting Hospitals From Competition By Medical Staff Members, Elizabeth Weeks

Scholarly Works

This Article addresses hospitals' use of economic criteria to determine a physician's qualifications for staff privileges. Hospitals are resorting to economic conflict-of-interest credentialing policies in an attempt to ensure physicians' loyalty and mantain their own economic viability. Physicians, however, argue that entrepenurial activities are necessary for them to meet the economic challenges posed by declining reimbursement and rising insurance costs. This Article surveys the numerous legal theories that litigants and enforcement authorities could employ in attacking these new types of credentialing policies. The Article concludes that, in most jurisdictions, hospitals should be able to implement their policies in ways that …

Policy Choices And Model Acts: Preparing For The Next Public Health Emergency, Ken Wing

Faculty Articles

This article explores policy choices and model acts related to public health administration in the U.S. This article provides information of the general public or state policymakers concerning important policy choices, variation of the pre-existing legal structure in each state, and the principles of separation of powers in limiting legislature's ability to delegate legislative-type decisions.

Linking Low-Income Washingtonians With Health Care Financing Arrangements, Kenneth R. Wing, Michael G. Gordie

Seattle University Law Review

Following this introductory section, Part II presents a comprehensive description of the health financing arrangements available to low-income residents of Washington State, from federally funded Medicaid programs to state-subsidized insurance. The Article concludes in Part III, outlining the interrelationship between these arrangements and the political process, and suggesting that the Washington State Legislature should be aware of how policy actually affects people.

One Word Can Make All The Difference: An Examination Of The Third Circuit's Handling Of Health Care Insurance Policy Exclusion Clauses For Pre-Existing Conditions, Christina M. Finello

Villanova Law Review (1956 - )

No abstract provided.

Protecting Human Research Subjects: A Jurisdictional Analysis, Jennifer Llewellyn, Jocelyn Downie, Robert Holmes

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The most recent speech from the throne contained a pledge from the federal government to "work with provinces to implement a national system for the governance of research involving humans, including national research ethics and standards." This commitment signals a desire on the part of the federal government to address concerns about the inadequacies of the current governance of health research involving humans (RIH). To this end, Health Canada's Ethics Division is currently exploring the ways in which such a national governance system for RIH might be implemented. It is important for the federal government, as it moves toward making …

Protecting Human Research Subjects: A Jurisdictional Analysis, Jennifer Llewellyn, Jocelyn Downie, Robert Holmes

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The most recent speech from the throne contained a pledge from the federal government to "work with provinces to implement a national system for the governance of research involving humans, including national research ethics and standards." This commitment signals a desire on the part of the federal government to address concerns about the inadequacies of the current governance of health research involving humans (RIH). To this end, Health Canada's Ethics Division is currently exploring the ways in which such a national governance system for RIH might be implemented. It is important for the federal government, as it moves toward making …

A Healer Or An Executioner: The Proper Role Of A Psychiatrist In A Criminal Justice System, Gregory Dolin

All Faculty Scholarship

This article argues that despite the benefits of ridding the criminal justice system of some uncertainty and ignorance with respect to mental health issues, the very close involvement of psychiatrists in the criminal justice system as practiced in the United States is not only illogical and bad policy, but also unethical from the viewpoint of medical ethics. Part II of this article will lay the groundwork for the argument by discussing the history of the insanity defense, and of science's involvement with criminal justice; while Part III, will look into the association of science and the administration of justice in …