Novel technologies that seek to improve quality of life or simplify complex processes offer great promise. For example, medical technologies that detect or cure disease or supply chain technologies that allow for real time understanding of the location or destination of a specific product — make our lives easier and safer. They also pose potentially unforeseen complications ...
Introduction By: David Balfour The Medical Board of California investigates physicians for potential violations of the Medical Practice Act. If an investigation results in findings of violations, the Board will refer the case to the Attorney General’s Office recommending the filing of an Accusation seeking disciplinary action against the physician’s license ...
On the 9th of August 2024, the Health and Safety at Work Act, Act XXXIII of 2024 (Chapter 646 of the Laws of Malta) (hereinafter referred to as the ”Act”) was published by Parliament. Upon coming into force, the Act shall repeal the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (“OHSA” or “Authority”) Act (Chapter 424 of the Laws of Malta) and its subsidiary legislation ...
August 14, 2024 By: Wendy Lee A little more than a year ago, on July 23, 2023, the Washington My Health My Data Act (WMHMDA) was passed into law. The law originally went into effect on March 31, 2024, however the compliance deadline for small businesses was June 30, 2024. This law was passed as a reaction to the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court ruling and was designed to protect consumer health data ...
On August 1, 2024, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) rolled out its Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program after announcing the initiative in March. Described as “[s]upercharging DOJ’s corporate investigations and prosecutions,”[1] the Pilot Program dramatically expands the pool of would-be whistleblowers and underscores the importance of robust compliance and reporting programs ...
Effective July 29, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has issued a final rule that expands the scope of its existing Health Breach Notification Rule (“HBNR”) to include health and wellness applications (“apps”) typically associated with wearable technologies such as smart watches ...
On July 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule[1] outlining financial penalties, referred to as “disincentives” throughout the rule, for healthcare providers that engage in conduct that is considered “information blocking.” The 21st Century Cures Act defines information blocking as a “practice that interferes with, prevents, or materially discourages access, exchange, or use of electronic health information ...
On June 28, 2024, Exempt Resolution No. 1,160 of May 31, 2024 was published in the Official Gazette, which approved the “Technical Guideline of the Public Health Institute that establishes the requirements for the application for modifications to the sanitary registration of biological products (M-MOBI)” ...
The UAE recently amended its legal framework on abortion to expand the circumstances under which abortions are permitted and ease the rules regarding the circumstances under which abortions are permissible. Cabinet Decision No. 44/2024 (the Decision) came into effect on 21 June 2024 and progressively changed UAE’s law on abortion ...
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) recently cited Circles of Care, Inc., a Florida behavioral health company, for failing to provide a workplace free of recognized hazards. This citation followed an incident where a patient assaulted a mental health technician at a nurse work station ...
Recently, the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill, Substitute S.B. 40, which will enter Ohio as a party to the new Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, and ultimately allow dentists and hygienists practicing in other compact states to practice in Ohio. This summer, the compact will form its commission, and will continue to work on operationalizing into 2025 before officially opening privilege applications ...
In a unanimous decision today, the Supreme Court rejected efforts to limit access to the abortion pill mifepristone, overturning an earlier decision by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court ruled that the physicians and medical associations who brought the case did not have the right to challenge the FDA's regulation of the drug. To have standing, plaintiffs must show they have a “personal stake” in the case ...
For many years, nurses in Ohio were only required to disclose convictions to the Ohio Board of Nursing on their biennial license renewal application. However, a new regulation from the Ohio Board of Nursing now requires licensees to additionally report a guilty plea, conviction or treatment in lieu of conviction of certain crimes within 30 days of the plea or entry ...
In recent years, the regulatory framework for human genetic resources ("HGR") in China has become increasingly mature ...
Recently, modifications announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) to 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (“Part 2”) rules governing Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (“SUD”) Patient Records went into effect. This is a major rule change for Part 2 providers and the enhanced penalties and enforcement measures make compliance with the new rules essential for any Part 2 provider ...
The United States is on the verge of one of the biggest, if not the biggest, transformations to marijuana policy in the last 50 years. According to an Associated Press report, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is expected to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) ...
Between September 2021 and May 2022, the words 'stress', 'mental health' and 'depression' appeared in more than 12,000 early conciliation or employment tribunal cases , demonstrating the prevalence of this subject matter in employment-related disputes. Today, more than ever, employers are expected to afford greater consideration to workplace conditions that do or could impact upon employees’ mental health ...
China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) released the 2023 Drug Review Annual Report on its official website on February 4, 2024, closely followed by the 2023 Medical Device Registration Annual Report on February 5. According to the public information, more than 60 innovative drugs have been approved by NMPA from 2022 to 2023, and a total of 61 innovative medical devices have been approved in 2023 ...
On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) voted to issue a final rule banning non-compete provisions in most industries in the United States (“Final Rule”). Dinsmore attorneys were quick to publish the details and impact of the Final Rule, which is available here. This supplement focuses on the impact of the Final Rule on the healthcare industry ...
In the latest update to Kentucky’s Medical Cannabis Program (the “Program”), Governor Andy Beshear signed House Bill 829 which moved up the timeline to apply for cannabis business licenses by six months. Additionally, two emergency regulations were issued by the Program that explain how to apply for a cannabis business license ...
Thailand’s government is on the process of launching a groundbreaking multiple-entry Medical Treatment visa (“non-MT visa“) with a generous one-year validity period, aiming to solidify its position as a premier international medical hub. The Subcommittee on Developing Thailand into a Medical Service Hub, authorized by the Ministry of Public Health, recently convened to craft the framework for this visionary visa program ...
Norwich Pharmacal applications against BVI registered agents: BVI Commercial Court provides new guidance In its recent judgment, the BVI Commercial Court has provided clarification and guidance on Norwich Pharmacal applications against BVI registered agents ...
Violence in the workplace is something all employers prohibit and try to prevent. Healthcare employers have a tougher time, because the violence often comes from patients. How do you best protect workers while still providing needed patient care? There are no federal laws addressing this issue, so some states have stepped in. Recently, Texas joined states like California in enacting statutory protections against workplace violence directed at healthcare workers.[1] Texas S.B ...
