A summary of the key takeaways from a recent webinar on The Covid-19 Public Inquiry - Spotlight on the Care Sector. What is a Public Inquiry? A public inquiry is a state sponsored investigation into areas of public concern. Inquiries are set up and sponsored by the government, but they operate independently of the government. All inquiries have powers to compel the attendance of witnesses or provision of evidence ...
Law firms periodically receive requests for advice from CPAs regarding a client’s need to come into compliance with the relatively new and sometimes confusing “economic nexus” or “Wayfair” rules for selling goods or providing services to customers in another state ...
On 22 September 2023, the Royal Decree of 13 September 2023 establishing specific rules on the public procurement of biological medicinal products was published in the Belgian State Gazette (“Royal Decree”) ...
'He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice, he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice’...but is Santa doing so in compliance with the GDPR? As the first Christmas trees and advent calendars go up in stores and homes across the UK, our thoughts may turn towards the joys – and pressures – of the festive season ...
Carey Olsen advises Channel Islands Co-op on purchase of seven Lloyds Pharmacy branches The Co-op has bought four stores in Jersey (The Parade, Red Houses, Quennevais and Gorey Village), and three in Guernsey (St Sampson's, L'Aumone and Longfrie). The purchase of the stores will enable the Co-op to grow and develop its pharmacy business, whilst providing Co-op customers across the Channel Islands with greater access to its community pharmacy services ...
The UK data protection regulator, the Information Commissioners’ Office (ICO) has recently published a blog containing a quick guide to help retailers assess the lawfulness of sharing criminal offence data ...
Yesterday, Shoosmiths hosted an event by The Fashion Network titled ‘Trend Forecasting & Analysis Masterclass: For Fashion & FMCG Retail Business’. During this event we heard from fashion industry leaders on how the landscape of retail and marketing is ever evolving, influenced by a myriad of factors ranging from consumer behaviour to emerging technologies ...
In its priorities note for 2023, the Belgian Competition Authority (“BCA”) listed the pharmaceutical and health care sector as one of it major interests. It noted that “in the coming months, the BCA will also devote additional attention and resources to the continued consolidation in the hospital sector ...
On November 7, 2023, Ohio voters passed Issue 1, the Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety, to establish the constitutional right to certain reproductive decisions. The new right will be enshrined in Section 22 of Article 1 of the Ohio Constitution, and will become effective within 30 days after the election. The passage of Issue 1 establishes in the Ohio Constitution an individual’s right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment ...
On November 7, 2023 Ohio voters approved the Issue 2 ballot initiative, which will make substantial revisions to Ohio’s cannabis laws[1] and make Ohio the 24th state[2] to legalize recreational marijuana. Issue 2 was introduced by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol which, according to the group, sought to legalize and regulate the cultivation, manufacturing, testing and sale of marijuana and marijuana products to adults and also legalize home grow for adults ...
A recent data protection fine highlights the risks of getting a few key things wrong. Fines for large data security breaches always grab press attention, however a recent €600,000 fine from the French data protection regulator (the CNIL) brings into sharp focus the risks for businesses when they get a few key things wrong without any catastrophic failures amongst them ...
This week marks National Fertility Awareness Week in the UK. This annual event, organised by Fertility Network UK, a national charity dedicated to supporting individuals on their fertility journeys, aims to change perceptions and raise awareness for those undergoing fertility treatment. The theme for this year is "Forward4Fertility," emphasising progress and inclusivity in the journey towards parenthood. The staggering fact that over 3 ...
Following the route set out in the ongoing constitutional process and taking into consideration the draft prepared by the Expert Commission and the amendments presented during the respective discussion in the Joint Commission, the Constitutional Council approved yesterday, the Preliminary Draft of the New Constitution ...
Module 5 will assess the robustness and effectiveness of procurement processes, the adequacy of items obtained (including their specification, quality, and volume) and the effectiveness of their distribution. It will also consider the UK-wide procurement of lateral flow and PCR tests. The provisional scope for this module lists three key areas of investigation ...
Earlier in the year, we reported on the government’s announcement of increases to visa and nationality fees. These increases to application fees came into force on 4 October 2023, other than the substantial increase to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) which was expected to come ‘later in the autumn’ ...
It’s the final countdown, with only one year to go before EU member states must transpose the EU’s new Network and Information Security 2 Directive (“NIS 2”) into national law. Key Dates EU Member States have until 17 October 2024 to transpose NIS 2 into national law and those national laws will apply to organisations as early as 18 October 2024. Enforcement is likely to start from 17 January 2025, in line with parallel legislation affecting financial services ...
One of the most common questions I receive from clients is around the termination of leases, with confusion reigning around the terminology and procedures used in Scotland. It is not surprising that when given a remit to consider the law of commercial leases, the Scottish Law Commission (SLC) first turned its attention to the law relating to the termination of leases at expiry. In October 2022, following consultations, the SLC published its Report on Aspects of Leases: Termination ...
October 18, 2023 By: Leah Lively California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed SB 525 into law, which amends the California Labor Code to set industry minimum wage requirements for nearly all healthcare workers, whether they are hourly or salaried employees, or independent contractors. The law also provides these workers with an independent private right of action to enforce these minimum wage requirements ...
The European Commission published a draft proposal for a revised Product Liability Directive (the “PLD Proposal”) on 28 September 2022, which aims to bring the European Union’s product liability regime ‘up to speed’ with the digital age, circular economy business models and global value chains. This blog focuses on the main changes the PLD Proposal brings and its impact on life science companies ...
On October 8, 2023, theScientific and Technological Ethics Review Regulation (Trial)("Scientific and Technological Ethics Regulation") was jointly published by the China's Ministry of Science and Technology ("MOST"), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other seven (7) departments/institutions, which was followed by a press conference held next day by the MOST to respond to media inquiries ("Press Conference") ...
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is once again extending telemedicine prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances. On October 6, 2023, the DEA jointly with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a Second Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications (the “Second Extension”) ...
Last week, 49 state attorneys general announced a $49.5 million settlement with Blackbaud, Inc. (Blackbaud) over the software company’s data-security practices and its response to a breach in 2020 that exposed the personal information of millions of individuals. Blackbaud provides software solutions to nonprofit organizations, including charities, schools and healthcare agencies, to help them connect with donors and manage data about their constituencies ...
Expectations are increasing and there is mounting pressure from investors and consumers for private and public sector organisations and charities to be seen to be doing something about ESG factors, including equality, diversity and inclusion. Diversity and inclusion are increasingly recognised as crucial factors in building sustainable and successful supply chains in the private, public and charity sectors ...
