Recent Developments in Health Law

2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ching Ping Ang ◽  
Joseph Wolpin ◽  
Elisha Baron

As of July 1, 2008, females aged 11-26 years seeking status as permanent residents in the United States must produce documentation that they have received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will approve their status adjustment. Immigration rights activists and public health officials have objected to this new requirement on the grounds that it is unnecessary and imposes unreasonable barriers to lawful immigration due to its expense. The Supreme Court has generally upheld mandatory vaccination requirements for citizens and non-citizens and has tolerated federal immigration regulations that would be unconstitutional if applied to citizens. However, the HPV vaccination requirement may be arbitrary, unnecessary, and discriminatory as applied to green card applicants who pose no greater threat to public health than citizens who are not subject to the same requirements. Furthermore, the requirement may also impose unreasonable restraints on aliens individual liberties as well as real barriers to immigration.

2017 ◽  
Vol 133 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deirdre A. Dingman ◽  
Cason D. Schmit

Objectives: One strategy to increase the uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among adolescents is through the use of pharmacists. Our objectives were to (1) use a publicly available database to describe the statutory and regulatory authority of pharmacists to administer the HPV vaccine in the United States and (2) discuss how the current status of laws may influence achievement of the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80% HPV vaccination rate for teenagers aged 13-15. Methods: Using information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Public Health Law Program database, we identified state laws in effect as of January 1, 2016, giving pharmacists authority to administer vaccines. We used a standardized analysis algorithm to determine whether states’ laws (1) authorized pharmacists to administer HPV vaccine, (2) required third-party authorization for pharmacist administration, and (3) restricted HPV vaccine administration by pharmacists to certain patient age groups. Results: Of 50 states and the District of Columbia, 40 had laws expressly granting pharmacists authority to administer HPV vaccine to patients, but only 22 had laws that authorized pharmacists to vaccinate preadolescents aged 11 or 12 (ie, the CDC-recommended age group). Pharmacists were granted prescriptive authority by 5 states, and they were given authority pursuant to general (non–patient-specific) third-party authorization (eg, a licensed health care provider) by 32 states or patient-specific third-party authorization by 3 states. Conclusions: Most states permitted pharmacists to administer HPV vaccines only to boys and girls older than 11 or 12, which may hinder achievement of the Healthy People 2020 goal for HPV vaccination. Efforts should be made to strengthen the role of pharmacists in addressing this public health issue.


1996 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 503-536
Author(s):  
Guido S. Weber

Tuberculosis (TB), “the world’s most neglected health crisis,” has returned after decades of decline, but has only gradually caught the attention of governments as a formidable threat to public health. By 1984, when TB cases hit an all-time low, federal and state governments stopped supporting the medical infrastructure that once served to contain the disease. State officials around the nation began dismantling laboratory research programs and closing TB clinics and sanitoria. Since 1985, however, TB rates have steadily increased to 26,673 reported cases in 1992, and some have estimated that by the year 2000, there could be a twenty percent increase. By 1993, Congress, realizing that TB could pose a major public health threat, allocated over $100 million to the Department of Health and Human Services for TB prevention and treatment programs. Those funds, however, were sorely needed years before and amounted to only a fraction of what public health officials believe necessary to control TB today.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
William Milczarski ◽  
Peter Tuckel ◽  
Richard Maisel

Purpose: To provide an updated and comparative analysis of injury-related falls from bicycles, skateboards, roller skates and non-motorized scooters.Methods: The study uses two national databases – the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample and the Nationwide Inpatient Sample  – and subnational databases for New York, California, and Maryland.  Univariate and multivariate analyses (negative binomial regression) are performed to identify effects of age, gender, racial-ethnic background, and region on the incidence of injury-related falls from each of the four devices.Results: The rate of injuries due to falls from bicycles far surpasses the rates due to falls from the other devices.  When a measure of “exposure” is taken into consideration, however, the rate of injuries from skateboards outstrips the rates from bicycles or roller skates.  The profile of patients who are injured from falls from each of the four devices is distinctive.  Asian-Americans are greatly underrepresented among those who suffer a fall-related injury from any of the four devices.  The incidence of injuries attributable to falls varies considerably by geographic region.Conclusions: Public health officials need to be mindful that while certain activities such as scootering might be gaining in popularity, the number of injuries sustained from bicycles still dwarfs the number attributable to falls from skateboards, roller skates, and scooters combined.  Thus special attention needs to be paid to both prevent falls from bicycles and specific treatment modalities.  It is important for public health officials to gather injury data at the local level to allocate prevention and treatment resources more efficiently.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-326
Author(s):  
Gui-Dan Tang ◽  
Gu-Qing Zeng ◽  
Bi-Xia Zhao ◽  
Yun-Li Li ◽  
Rong Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To systematically review the knowledge attitudes and the influential factors on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among Chinese women. Methods Published studies on knowledge and attitudes of HPV vaccination for preventing cervical cancer among Chinese female population were retrieved using the major Chinese and English databases. Meanwhile, handwork retrieval was also conducted and the references including in the literature were retrieved. The quality of the literature was rigorously evaluated and extracted independently by two researchers and the data were analyzed and described by review manager 5.3 (RevMan5.3) software. Results In all, 19 articles including 8 articles in Chinese and 11 in English were chosen. A total of 30,176 participants were included and the sample size ranged from 64 to 6,024. The overall awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine among Chinese women was at a low level. Chinese women generally showed poor knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccine. Acceptance of HPV vaccination among Chinese women was at a high level. Vaccination intentions were influenced by the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and measured by attitudes subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Conclusions The health authorities may evaluate and develop TPB-based interventions to increase HPV vaccination intentions of Chinese women. HPV vaccination programs should focus on carrying out multi-level and targeted health education and developing effective public health strategies after balancing the cost and benefit of HPV vaccine program. Medical staff should play the positive role in promoting the use of HPV vaccines in China. Integration of policy and community perspectives and multi-level interventions are essential to maximize the public health benefits of HPV vaccination.


Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1360
Author(s):  
Oluwafemifola Oyedeji ◽  
Jill M. Maples ◽  
Samantha Gregory ◽  
Shauntá M. Chamberlin ◽  
Justin D. Gatwood ◽  
...  

About 45:000 cancers are linked to HPV each year in the United States alone. The HPV vaccine prevents cancer and is highly effective, yet vaccination coverage remains low. Pharmacies can play a meaningful role in increasing HPV vaccination access due to their availability and convenience. However, little is known about pharmacists’ perceived barriers to HPV vaccination. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize existing literature on perceived barriers to administering HPV vaccination reported by pharmacists. Barriers identified from selected studies were synthesized and further grouped into patient, parental, (pharmacist’s) personal, and system/organization barrier groups. Six studies were included in this review. The cost of the HPV vaccine, insurance coverage and reimbursement were commonly reported perceived barriers. Adolescent HPV vaccination barriers related to parental concerns, beliefs, and inadequate knowledge about the HPV vaccine. Perceived (pharmacist’s) personal barriers were related to lack of information and knowledge about HPV vaccine and recommendations. At the system/organization level, barriers reported included lack of time/staff/space; difficulty in series completion; tracking and recall of patient; perceived competition with providers; and other responsibilities/vaccines taking precedence. Future strategies involving pharmacy settings in HPV-related cancer prevention efforts should consider research on multilevel pharmacy-driven interventions addressing barriers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 491-496
Author(s):  
Tracy Perron ◽  
Heather Larovere ◽  
Victoria Guerra ◽  
Kathleen Kilfeather ◽  
Nicole Pare ◽  
...  

As measles cases continue to rise in the United States and elsewhere, public health officials, health care providers and elected officials alike are facing critical questions of how to protect the health of the public from current and future vaccine preventable disease outbreaks while still preserving the religious and personal autonomy of the populations they serve. As measles cases are being examined and carefully managed, public health officials are also tasked with revisiting vaccination policies and agendas to determine the best evidence-based interventions to control this epidemic. To determine the best course of action for the public's interest, research and current literature must be examined to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of those currently affected by the measles outbreak and those yet to be exposed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Steven Kent Mann ◽  
Karl Kingsley

Introduction: The recent development of a vaccine that is highly effective against the human papillomavirus (HPV) has been met with widespread clinical and public health professional acceptance. However, social and societal barriers to vaccination may hamper public health efforts to prevent HPV-mediated diseases. Although a few studies have evaluated knowledge or awareness of HPV vaccination among dentists or dental educators, few studies have evaluated the acceptance, knowledge and awareness of HPV vaccination among dental students and post-graduate dental residents. The primary goal of this study is to evaluate survey responses regarding acceptance, knowledge and awareness of HPV vaccination among dental students and post-graduate dental residents. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of a previously administered and collected questionnaire. The original protocol was reviewed by the UNLV Biomedical Institutional Research Board (IRB) and was deemed excluded from IRB review (OPRS#0811-2911). Results: Two hundred and ninety-three (N = 293) dental student and forty-one (N = 41) post-graduate dental resident questionnaires were available for a total sample size of N = 334. In brief, although the majority of dental students and residents agreed that vaccines are safe and effective, less than half of dental students (37.5%) or dental residents (48.7%) had discussed the HPV vaccine with a physician or had received the vaccine themselves. In addition, a significant percentage of dental students and residents felt they did not have enough information regarding the HPV vaccine (25.6% and 26.8%, respectively) or had significant concerns about the side effects (17.1%). Conclusions: The data suggest more specific information in dental school microbiology and immunology courses might be needed to increase awareness and knowledge of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, including the HPV vaccine. This enhanced education might also serve as a curricular focal point to answer questions regarding vaccine-related side effects and provide a mechanism for answering important questions regarding this vaccine.


1998 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy E. Parmet

The most remarkable thing about the U.S. Supreme Court's 1998 decision in Bragdon v. Abbott was that it was necessary at all. Seventeen years into the epidemic of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the Supreme Court, by a mere 5-4 majority, finally affirmed what most public health officials, health providers, and lawyers working with people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) believed all along: that individuals with HIV infection are entitled to the protections of antidiscrimination law, and that health care providers must respond to a patient's infection based on reason and science, not fear and prejudice. For individuals with HIV, and for those with other disabilities, the Court's ruling was a critical victory. But the very fact that the issues had to be decided by the Supreme Court and that only five justices joined the majority, shows the fragility of legal rights pertaining to HIV as well as the wide gulf between the perspectives of public health and those of public law.


2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Andrea Jennings-Sanders, Dr.PH, RN

Disasters are becoming more of an integral aspect of life in the United States and in other countries. Public health nurses are in the forefront of providing health services to people affected by disasters. Thus, it is essential that all public health nurses have access to information that will assist them in disaster situations. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how the Framework for Public Health Nurses: Interventions Model can be utilized for planning and responding to disasters. The interventions in the model are directly applicable to disaster situations and, in addition, raise questions on issues that need to be addressed by local, state, and federal public health officials.


2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 690-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G. Hodge ◽  
Lexi C. White ◽  
Andrew Sniegowski

Promoting and protecting the public's health in the United States and abroad are intricately tied to laws and policies. Laws provide support for public health measures, authorize specific actions among public and private actors, and empower public health officials. Laws can also inhibit or restrict efforts designed to improve communal health through protections for individual rights or structural principles of government. Advancing the health of populations through law is complex and subject to constant tradeoffs. This column seeks to explore the role of law in the interests of public health through scholarly and applied assessments across a spectrum of key issues. The first of these assessments focuses on a critical topic in emergency legal preparedness.


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