Public Health Law Research Papers (original) (raw)

The fact that internet companies may record our personal data and track our online behavior for commercial or political purpose has emphasized aspects related to online privacy. This has also led to the development of search engines that... more

The fact that internet companies may record our personal data and track our online behavior for commercial or political purpose has emphasized aspects related to online privacy. This has also led to the development of search engines that promise no tracking and privacy. Search engines also have a major role in spreading low-quality health information such as that of anti-vaccine websites. This study investigates the relationship between search engines' approach to privacy and the scientific quality of the information they return. We analyzed the first 30 webpages returned searching 'vaccines autism' in English, Spanish, Italian and French. The results show that alternative search engines (Duckduckgo, Ecosia, Qwant, Swisscows and Mojeek) may return more anti-vaccine pages (10 to 53 percent) than this http URL (zero). Some localized versions of Google, however, returned more anti-vaccine webpages (up to 10 percent) than this http URL. Our study suggests that designing a se...

The signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (P.L. 111-148) changed the landscape of health care in the United States. Embedded in this new policy direction are incentives to create a system that treats the whole... more

The signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (P.L. 111-148) changed the landscape of health care in the United States. Embedded in this new policy direction are incentives to create a system that treats the whole person through the integration of behavioral and physical health. Social work expertise in these areas is crucial. Changes at the macro level have a direct impact on what happens in the world of direct practice. How these changes are implemented will be critical for ensuring a system that meets the needs of people. It is vital that social workers gain a place at the table in health care system and policy discussions to ensure that best practices for integrative care are put in place as systems are designed.

Statement of Contribution: JM is the main author of this article, to which LF has contributed. Abstract It has been suggested that to overcome the challenges facing the UK's National Health Service (NHS) of an ageing population and... more

Statement of Contribution: JM is the main author of this article, to which LF has contributed. Abstract It has been suggested that to overcome the challenges facing the UK's National Health Service (NHS) of an ageing population and reduced available funding, the NHS should be transformed into a more informationally mature and heterogeneous organisation, reliant on data-based and algorithmically-driven interactions between human, artificial, and hybrid (semi-artificial) agents. This transformation process would offer significant benefit to patients, clinicians, and the overall system, but it would also rely on a fundamental transformation of the healthcare system in a way that poses significant governance challenges. In this article, we argue that a fruitful way to overcome these challenges is by adopting a pro-ethical approach to design that analyses the system as a whole, keeps society-in-the-loop throughout the process, and distributes responsibility evenly across all nodes in the system.

In response to the ongoing discussion about creating a new pandemic treaty, we first identify that the security discourse has dominated global health governance. Yet, we argue that the solidarity discourse is necessary for promoting... more

In response to the ongoing discussion about creating a new pandemic treaty, we first identify that the security discourse has dominated global health governance. Yet, we argue that the solidarity discourse is necessary for promoting global health and compliance with relevant legal instruments in the post-COVID era. At the critical moment where transformation of the global pandemic response regime is about to happen, we consider that the sense of feeling prepared prior to a disease outbreak and the sense of urgency when it happens require an ethical reason – that is, global solidarity. Without it, the institutional redesign might not work. The belief in and realisation of global solidarity, shared between global citizens and the nation-states they constituted domestically, include both dimensions of self-interest and global public good. The former comes from the expectation for the boomerang effect of sharing, and the latter accumulates all the primary and side benefits from the process of sharing burden and effort. Thus, the discourse of global solidarity is not only ethically necessary, in order to ensure commitment to carry costs to assist others of equal membership, but also practically necessary, in order to promote the incentives of seeking international support and cooperation.

La Historia nos enseña que las catástrofes han asolado nuestro planeta desde tiempos inmemoriales. Incendios devastadores, arrasadoras inundaciones, erupciones volcánicas, guerras de todos los colores, atentados terroristas, accidentes... more

La Historia nos enseña que las catástrofes han asolado nuestro planeta desde tiempos inmemoriales. Incendios devastadores, arrasadoras inundaciones, erupciones volcánicas, guerras de todos los colores, atentados terroristas, accidentes nucleares, entre otras crisis naturales o humanas, se han sucedido a lo largo de los siglos con parámetros sorprendentemente similares. Extraordinariamente parecidas han sido también las medidas adoptadas para prevenirlas antes de que aconteciesen, para intentar hacerles frente una vez que su crudeza se estaba desplegando y para procurar un restablecimiento de la vida ordenada una vez que habían finalizado. En la lucha contra las más diversas situaciones de crisis, las respuestas jurídicas han ocupado siempre un lugar preponderante. Estas Lecciones jurídicas para la lucha contra una epidemia nacen durante la cuarentena vivida entre los meses de marzo y junio con motivo de la declaración en nuestro país del estado de alarma para la gestión de la situación de emergencia sanitaria ocasionada por el COVID-19. Los autores se propusieron entonces explicar de forma mínima las bases que fundamentaron tal situación excepcional: la teoría general del Derecho de necesidad, nuestro Derecho constitucional de excepción y la legislación ordinaria con previsiones para la lucha contra las emergencias. Ahora todas esas Lecciones, que se publicaron diariamente en distintos medios académicos intentando ofrecer una explicación en tiempo real de los acontecimientos que estábamos viviendo durante el largo confinamiento sanitario, se han ordenado para esta edición. El lector encontrará además en estas Lecciones una cronología sobre la vigencia del estado de alarma (su declaración, sus sucesivas prórrogas y las medidas adoptadas), así como, trascendiendo más allá de nuestras fronteras, algunos ejemplos del Derecho de necesidad en el ámbito comparado más cercano, y, por último, el papel jugado por la Unión Europea ante la pandemia.

Amidst an explosion in digital health product investment, increasingly frequent cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and a scattered regulatory framework, the digital health marketplace requires a clear, measured approach to consumer safety and... more

Amidst an explosion in digital health product investment, increasingly frequent cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and a scattered regulatory framework, the digital health marketplace requires a clear, measured approach to consumer safety and data privacy. While legal and technology scholars have generally proposed increased activity in and examination of cybersecurity, neither have taken a multidisciplinary approach, leveraging both technology and law to advance a regulatory framework for the digital health market. Leveraging existing U.S. Food and Drug Administration processes with enhanced oversight will create the framework necessary to simultaneously protect patients while providing clear direction for businesses producing digital health products and services. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is well-positioned to regulate cybersecurity for the United States Digital Health Marketplace.

O artigo analisa o conteúdo do princípio da integralidade de assistência no Sistema Único de Saúde brasileiro, a partir de uma compreensão holística dos pilares da saúde pública no país e, notadamente, da indispensável conjugação com o... more

O artigo analisa o conteúdo do princípio da integralidade de assistência no Sistema Único de Saúde brasileiro, a partir de uma compreensão holística dos pilares da saúde pública no país e, notadamente, da indispensável conjugação com o princípio da universalidade.
Nesse sentido, discute-se no trabalho "o que e para quem" é devido pelo SUS como decorrência dos princípios da universalidade e da integralidade.
O autor, a partir das premissas que estabelece na análise de referidos princípios, enfrenta ainda dois temas em permanente disputa no Direito da Saúde, qual sejam (i) a eventual existência de limitação do dever estatal de prestar serviços de saúde integrais em decorrência da cláusula da reserva do possível e (ii) as obrigações do Estado em relação à assistência farmacêutica e a dispensação de medicamentos. Por fim, o artigo aborda o fenômeno das demandas judiciais sobre medicamentos.

La dignidad humana, como eje articulador de los derechos humanos, ha puesto en evidencia la conexidad de todos estos derechos; por lo que su reconocimiento debe traducirse en su garantía, sin distingos; pues también ha quedado demostrado... more

La dignidad humana, como eje articulador de los derechos humanos, ha puesto en evidencia la conexidad de todos estos derechos; por lo que su reconocimiento debe traducirse en su garantía, sin distingos; pues también ha quedado demostrado que la afectación a cualquiera de ellos produce efectos colaterales que, de manera inevitable, provoca el menoscabo de otro u otros. Ahora bien, tratándose de los derechos a un medio ambiente sano y a la salud podemos advertir con toda claridad que el primero de ellos es presupuesto del segundo, pues gozar de buenas condiciones de salud implica vivir en un ambiente, cuyos elementos: agua, aire, suelo y biodiversidad permitan al ser humano acceder a ellos para la satisfacción de sus necesidades y su desarrollo sin poner en riesgo su salud e, incluso, su vida.

The United States has long grappled with the question of how to maintain an appropriate combination of religion and politics in the public sphere. The current electoral cycle is no different, as Presidential candidates attempt to... more

The United States has long grappled with the question of how to maintain an appropriate combination of religion and politics in the public sphere. The current electoral cycle is no different, as Presidential candidates attempt to negotiate both the political and religious landscapes. This essay introduces a special forum on rhetoric and religion in contemporary politics and touches on some recent instances of how religious differences have played out in the current political environment. Some of the issues discussed include the separation of church and state, Mitt Romney’s membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Rick Santorum’s conception of the “war on religion,” and the controversy over contraceptives at religious institutions and Rush Limbaugh’s attacks on a Georgetown law student.

Розглядається питання місця та ролі особливих норм, так званих «м’яких» норм міжнародного права – у регламентації питання прав людини (пацієнта) у сфері охорони здоров’я. Звертається увага як на особливості характеру дії норм м’якого... more

Розглядається питання місця та ролі особливих норм, так званих «м’яких» норм міжнародного права – у регламентації
питання прав людини (пацієнта) у сфері охорони здоров’я. Звертається увага як на особливості характеру дії норм
м’якого права у міжнародному праві, так і питання їх співвідношення із національним законодавством.
Ключові слова: м’яке право, права пацієнта, охорона здоров’я, ВООЗ, Рада Європи.
Рассматривается вопрос места и роли особых норм, так называемых «мягких» норм международного права – в регламентации вопросов прав человека (пациента)
в сфере здравоохранения. Обращается внимание как на особенности характера действия норм мягкого права в международном праве, так и вопросы их соотношения с национальным законодательством.
Ключевые слова: мягкое право, права пациента, здравоохранение, ВООЗ, Совет Европы.
Place and role of the special norms, so-called «soft law» at international law, is dedicated through the issue of human rights (the patient) regulation in the health sector. Both the nature of the particular operation of soft law norms in international law, and the issues of their relationship with national law are scrutinized.
Keywords: soft law, the rights of the patient’s, healthcare, WHO, the Council of Europe.

O presente artigo aponta, introdutoriamente, os motivos da ressurreição do direito à saúde no Brasil e, em seguida, destaca a problemática da definição de seu conteúdo. Apresentam se, então, as três facetas do direito à saúde como direito... more

O presente artigo aponta, introdutoriamente, os motivos da ressurreição do direito à saúde no Brasil e, em seguida, destaca a problemática da definição de seu conteúdo. Apresentam se, então, as três facetas do direito à saúde como direito fundamental, a saber: negativa, positiva e ativa. A partir daí, buscase condensar o grupo de vantagens e desvantagens da intervenção judicial em políticas de saúde, criando uma base para a discussão das políticas de medicamentos. Nesse particular, destacase brevemente a evolução legislativa da política nacional de medicamentos ocorrida desde a década de 90, ressaltandose, enfim, a recentíssima visão do STF sobre o assunto.

Die Einführung von Einheitsverpackungen (Plain Packaging) für Zigaretten ist derzeit in aller Munde. Von Australien über die EU bis hin zu mehreren südamerikanischen Staaten erwägt man die Einführung einer neutralen Verpackung für... more

Die Einführung von Einheitsverpackungen (Plain Packaging) für Zigaretten ist derzeit in aller Munde. Von Australien über die EU bis hin zu mehreren südamerikanischen Staaten erwägt man die Einführung einer neutralen Verpackung für Tabakprodukte, die keinerlei Marke trägt und lediglich Warnhinweise enthält. Der nachfolgende Beitrag widmet sich der damit verbundenen verfassungsrechtlichen Problematik und kommt zu dem Ergebnis, dass die Einführung von Einheitsverpackungen, vor allem vor dem Hintergrund des Schutzes der Jugend und der Gesundheit der Bevölkerung, mit dem Grundgesetz vereinbar ist.

Abstract— nowadays, it is essential for medical professionals to organize and keep track of their patients’ medical records. Keeping this kind of information is absolutely not an easy task, especially with a numerous amount of records and... more

Abstract— nowadays, it is essential for medical professionals to organize and keep track of their patients’ medical records. Keeping this kind of information is absolutely not an easy task, especially with a numerous amount of records and other documents that need to be filled, which are usually in rows of labeled folders in file cabinets. The lack in automated electronic medical recordkeeping is apparently more in the field of pediatrics. The growing influence of mobile phones, computers or technology as a whole, along with the advances in medical devices, are becoming a crucial part in the future of healthcare. All kind of technology driven devices are creating their way towards becoming essential tools in offices of medical practitioners. Furthermore, with these tools and equipment, record keeping of medical information of patients could be made more productive, convenient and fuller in content, not only including pictures but video and audio records as well.
Telemedicine is a generic term which is used to characterize various aspects of health care at a distance. In its most expansive application, telemedicine can be defined as the use of telecommunication technologies to provide medical information and services. The key aspect of telemedicine is the use of electronic signals to transfer information from one site to another. The term, telemedicine, is becoming most recognized as referring to remote clinical care and consultation through the use of electronic equipment that provides with images. By using Telemedicine technologies and a well-planned timeline, the SERENITY APP has successfully drawn down its hospitals complement. Telemedicine services that integrate electronic medical records can decrease the number of cases where doctors cannot access the records of patients. According to the Institute of Medicine, around 30% of physicians could not have accessed their patient's files in existing non-telemedicine systems and about 70% of the records were deficient.
Key Words: Telemedicine, Technologies, Telecommunication, Institute of Medicine.

The need to regulate lobbying groups appears and disappears cyclically from the Italian legislative landscape and from scholars’ agenda, without ever reaching a final and definitive landing place. The lack of a specific discipline... more

The need to regulate lobbying groups appears and disappears cyclically from the Italian legislative landscape and from scholars’ agenda, without ever reaching a final and definitive landing place. The lack of a specific discipline increases the perception of a phenomenon located on the border of legality, with potentially pathological misuse of public decisions. This issue assumes atypical and more marked characteristics when it is related to public spending on health care, where it is advantageous to ensure that lobbies play an effective and transparent role. The aim of this paper is to provide strike a difficult balance between lobbying, transparency and public procurement in a sector (healthcare) entailing specific challenges.

Правото е техника на регулация на човешките взаимоотношения, опираща се на стройна, централизирана и йерархически построена система от норми и принципи. Ако рискува да заеме конкретна страна, натоварена с определена морална тежест, да... more

Правото е техника на регулация на човешките взаимоотношения, опираща се на стройна, централизирана и йерархически построена система от норми и принципи. Ако рискува да заеме конкретна страна, натоварена с определена морална тежест, да приеме една морално обременена позиция като истинска, то тя губи своя всеобхватен характер и престава да бъде безличен и безпристрастен арбитър на социални явления и отношения. Поради тази причина при разглеждането на социални отношения, които нямат едно единствено решение от морална и юридическа гледна точка, правната система трябва да даде избор на лицата как да постъпят, да им даде свободата да действат сами в рамките на позволеното поведение. Само чрез дадената свобода и пространство на индивидите да действат по собствено усмотрение в морално сиви среди, правната система може да изследва и да заключи правилно как да се разрешат по безпристрастен начин конкретните отношения, без да спъва човешкия прогрес и развитие. Именно през тази призма ще се анализира и темата за евтаназията, набрала отново популярност и поляризирала обществото с оглед на морално сивия си характер и противоречива правна регулация.

Healthcare systems across the globe are struggling with increasing costs and worsening outcomes. This presents those responsible for overseeing healthcare with a challenge. Increasingly, policymakers, politicians, clinical entrepreneurs... more

Healthcare systems across the globe are struggling with increasing costs and worsening outcomes. This presents those responsible for overseeing healthcare with a challenge. Increasingly, policymakers, politicians, clinical entrepreneurs and computer and data scientists argue that a key part of the solution will be 'Artificial Intelligence' (AI)-particularly Machine Learning (ML). This argument stems not from the belief that all healthcare needs will soon be taken care of by "robot doctors." Instead, it is an argument that rests on the classic counterfactual definition of AI as an umbrella term for a range of techniques that can be used to make machines complete tasks in a way that would be considered intelligent were they to be completed by a human. Automation of this nature could offer great opportunities for the improvement of healthcare services and ultimately patients' health by significantly improving human clinical capabilities in diagnosis, drug discovery, epidemiology, personalised medicine, and operational efficiency. However, if these AI solutions are to be embedded in clinical practice, then at least three issues need to be considered: the technical possibilities and limitations; the ethical, regulatory and legal framework; and the governance framework. In this article, we report on the results of a systematic analysis designed to provide a clear overview of the second of these elements: the ethical, regulatory and legal framework. We find that ethical issues arise at six levels of abstraction (individual, interpersonal, group, institutional, sectoral, and societal) and can be categorised as epistemic, normative, or overarching. We conclude by stressing how important it is that the ethical challenges raised by implementing AI in healthcare settings are tackled proactively rather than reactively and map the key considerations for policymakers to each of the ethical concerns highlighted.

El presente artículo tiene un objetivo simple y práctico: servir de disparador para el debate que debería darse sobre la relación médico-paciente y la violencia actual que la caracteriza. Y, en última instancia, también constituye un... more

El presente artículo tiene un objetivo simple y práctico: servir de disparador para el debate que debería darse sobre la relación médico-paciente y la violencia actual que la caracteriza. Y, en última instancia, también constituye un objetivo -un poco más pretensioso tal vez-, el de contribuir a la paz social.

SAĞLIK HİZMETLERİNDE NÖRO PAZARLAMA YAKLAŞIMI

Abstract [It]: Le misure di limitazione domiciliare, disposte al fine di fronteggiare il pericolo della diffusione della SARS CoV-2, presentano numerosi effetti collaterali. Il presente lavoro, in particolare, mantenendo come stella... more

Abstract [It]: Le misure di limitazione domiciliare, disposte al fine di fronteggiare il pericolo della diffusione della
SARS CoV-2, presentano numerosi effetti collaterali. Il presente lavoro, in particolare, mantenendo come stella
polare l’art. 32 Cost., è volto ad analizzare le politiche pubbliche di contenimento del contagio con riferimento al
concreto bilanciamento tra le vare accezioni del bene giuridico “salute”, intesa nella sua dimensione psicofisica.
Abstract [En]: The home containment measures, adopted to address the risk of the spread of SARS CoV-2, have
many side effects. This work, in particular, keeping article 32 of the Constitution as a lighthouse, is meaningful to
analyze the public policies of containment of the spread of the virus with particular reference to the balancing of
the various meanings of health, understood in its psychophysical dimension.

Con il Decreto legislativo n. 38 del 2014 l'ordinamento italiano ha recepito la Direttiva 2011/24/UE, sui diritti dei pazienti relativi all'assistenza sanitaria transfrontaliera. Quest'ultima fa propria la giurisprudenza della Corte di... more

Con il Decreto legislativo n. 38 del 2014 l'ordinamento italiano ha recepito la Direttiva
2011/24/UE, sui diritti dei pazienti relativi all'assistenza sanitaria transfrontaliera. Quest'ultima fa
propria la giurisprudenza della Corte di giustizia in materia di circolazione dei servizi sanitari.
La “consumerizzazione” del paziente costituisce una chiave di lettura per il nuovo mercato
europeo dei servizi sanitari fondato sul diritto al rimborso delle prestazioni sanitarie che i cittadini
europei possono ricevere in altri Stati membri.
Il diritto al rimborso, previsto dall'art. 7 della Direttiva, fa sì che i pazienti possano scegliere
i prestatori di servizi sanitari dai quali ricevere le cure, rendendoli dei “consumatori” di servizi
sanitari e ponendo in concorrenza i sistemi degli Stati europei.
Il testo offre una lettura sistematica della giurisprudenza della Corte di giustizia e un quadro
introduttivo della Direttiva con l'obiettivo offrirne una collocazione logico-concettuale che tenga
conto del diritto privato europeo inteso come un diritto economico funzionalizzato alla
realizzazione dell'integrazione europea attraverso il mercato unico.
La “consumerizzazione del paziente” introduce il tema centrale della libera circolazione
nell'ottica della soggettività consumeristica, chiave di volta per l'analisi degli strumenti della
Direttiva volti all'instaurazione e al funzionamento del mercato dei servizi sanitari.

Recent changes in policies allowing practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) to integrate into the mainstream of healthcare and also allowing practitioners of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy to perform... more

Recent changes in policies allowing practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) to integrate into the mainstream of healthcare and also allowing practitioners of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy to perform medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) under the proposed amendment to the MTP bill have brought cross-system practice into the limelight. We evaluate cross-system practice from its legal and ethical perspectives. Across judgments, the judiciary has held that cross-system practice is a form of medical negligence; however, it is permitted only in those states where the concerned governments have authorized it by a general or special order. Further, though a state government may authorize an alternative medicine doctor to prescribe allopathic medicines (or vice versa), it does not condone the prescription of wrong medicines or wrong diagnosis. Courts have also stated that prescribing allopathic medicines and misrepresenting these as traditional medicines is an unfair trade practice and not explaining the side-effects of a prescribed allopathic medicine amounts to medical negligence. Finally, the Supreme Court has cautioned that employing traditional medical practitioners who do not possess the required skill and competence to give allopathic treatment in hospitals and to let an emergency patient be treated by them is gross negligence. In the event of an unwanted outcome, the responsibility is completely on the hospital authorities. Therefore, there is an urgent need to abolish cross-system practice, invest in healthcare, and bring radical changes in health legislations to make right to healthcare a reality.

Kesehatan merupakan kebutuhan mendasar dari setiap manusia untuk dapat hidup layak, produktif, serta mampu bersaing untuk meningkatkan taraf hidupnya. Perkembangan teknologi dalam bidang kesehatan berjalan dengan pesat dalam abad terakhir... more

Kesehatan merupakan kebutuhan mendasar dari setiap manusia untuk dapat hidup layak, produktif, serta mampu bersaing untuk meningkatkan taraf hidupnya. Perkembangan teknologi dalam bidang kesehatan berjalan dengan pesat dalam abad terakhir ini, yang manfaatnya dapat dinikmati oleh masyarakat luas. Namun demikian jangkauan pelayanan kesehatan ini masih terbatas; artinya masih banyak masyarakat yang belum mampu menikmati pelayanan kesehatan yang bermutu. Untuk dapat mencapai derajat kesehatan masyarakat yang setinggi-tingginya perlu diselenggarakan berbagai upaya kesehatan dengan menghimpun seluruh potensi bangsa Indonesia. Pemerintah melalui Kementrian Kesehatan RI telah menetapkan visi masyarakat sehat yang mandiri dan berkeadilan dengan salah satu strateginya meningkatkan pembiayaan pembangunan kesehatan. Badan kesehatan dunia (WHO) telah mengadakan analisis sistem kesehatan ke berbagai negara dengan dihasilkan bahwa mutu sistem pelayanan kesehatan tidak semata- mata ditentukan oleh besarnya biaya yang dikeluarkan untuk pembiayaan kesehatan tersebut. (Ediani, 2015).

Research has shown that African-born immigrants to the U.S. have a high risk of HIV infection, and more than half of them reside in one of seven states with Massachusetts being home to more than 66,000 residents. As of 2009, the largest... more

Research has shown that African-born immigrants to the U.S. have a high risk of HIV infection, and more than half of them reside in one of seven states with Massachusetts being home to more than 66,000 residents. As of 2009, the largest proportion of non-U.S. born persons in MA diagnosed with HIV infection was from Sub-Saharan Africa. Because only a few studies have focused on HIV-testing attitudes and stigma in this population, very little is known about how to provide culturally appropriate HIV prevention and screening activities, particularly among African-born men. Not only to they have a high rate of HIV seropositivity and present at a late stage of HIV disease, but they also experience significant HIV-related stigma. Moreover, barriers and misconceptions about the U.S. healthcare system and legal and linguistic challenges persist. Thus, the need to provide interventions to reduce barriers to HIV testing, decrease stigma, and increase access to healthcare services in this community emerged.

Public health is not only concerned with curing illness and disease but is also about preventing disease, illness and injury, and promoting the quality of life of human populations. The field of public health takes an organised approach... more

Public health is not only concerned with curing illness and disease but is also about preventing disease, illness and injury, and promoting the quality of life of human populations. The field of public health takes an organised approach to enable people to realise health and longevity. Factors including, but not limited to, environmental issues and infectious diseases, as well as personal well-being, and the social dimensions of health must all be considered to achieve health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. The great challenge then becomes how to achieve health for all at a local, national, and global scale. This chapter considers the scope and role of the law in this challenge and provides examples of the law in practice as a mechanism to prevent and/or combat communicable and non-communicable disease.

The Corona Virus (COVID-19) and its global spread have resulted in declaring a pandemic by the World Health Organization India rapidly responded and clamped Lockdown from March 25, 2020, to April 14, 2020 The Government legitimized move... more

The Corona Virus (COVID-19) and its global spread have resulted in declaring a pandemic by the World Health Organization India rapidly responded and clamped Lockdown from March 25, 2020, to April 14, 2020 The Government legitimized move on the constructional mandate of Article 47 and Entry 29 of the seventh schedule of the Constitution of India, 1950 It has also utilized time tested quarantine law contained under Indian Penal Code, 1860, and Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 Such a health emergency was not contemplated under the Constitution of India, 1950;therefore, it has envisioned calamitous situation underpinned Disaster Management Act, 2005, to chart the preventive strategy of COVID-19 The innovation of COVID-19 as disaster and catastrophe fitted into the phrase 'beyond the coping capacity of the community ' The Central Government assumed the role of the custodian to undertake all preventive and anticipatory measures Because of rising death cases after two weeks of Lockdown,...

El presente Tratado es el resultado de un esfuerzo colectivo con el que se pretende cubrir una importante laguna existente en el estudio del régimen jurídico de los medicamentos de uso humano. La amplitud del sector de que se trata, el... more

El presente Tratado es el resultado de un esfuerzo colectivo con el que se pretende cubrir una importante laguna existente en el estudio del régimen jurídico de los medicamentos de uso humano. La amplitud del sector de que se trata, el hecho de que en el mismo se entrecrucen las distintas ramas del ordenamiento dentro del Derecho Público y Privado, así como la alta complejidad y volatilidad de su regulación son razones que permiten explicar que no se haya llevado a cabo hasta ahora un estudio sistemático y en profundidad como el que se ofrece en esta obra. El principal objetivo del presente Tratado consiste en ofrecer un análisis detallado, riguroso y profesional a todos aquellos que quieran tener un conocimiento avanzado en el Derecho farmacéutico y de los medicamentos. Con esta finalidad se ha diseñado una estructura con la que se pretende seguir el ciclo del medicamento desde su investigación y desarrollo hasta su financiación y puesta en el mercado, sin olvidar algunos aspectos complementarios que resultan igualmente esenciales.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, with the United States being highly affected. A vaccine provides the best hope for a permanent solution to controlling the pandemic. Several coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines are... more

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, with the United States being highly affected. A vaccine provides the best hope for a permanent solution to controlling the pandemic. Several coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines are currently in human trials. However, to be effective, a vaccine must be accepted and used by a large majority of the population. This study aimed to investigate the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines and its predictors in addition to the attitudes towards these vaccines among public. This study did an online survey during the period June-September 2020, were collected from 26,852 individuals aged 19 years or older across six continents as part of 60 nationally representative surveys to determine potential acceptance rates and factors influencing acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine. Results revealed that two-thirds of respondents were at least moderately worried about a widespread COVID-19 outbreak. Differences in acceptance rates ranged from almost 93% (in Tonga) to less than 43% (in Egypt). Respondents reporting higher levels of trust in information from government sources were more likely to accept a vaccine and take their employer's advice to do so. Systematic interventions are required by public health authorities to reduce the levels of vaccines' hesitancy and improve their acceptance. These results and specifically the low rate of acceptability is alarming to public health authorities and should stir further studies on the root causes and the need of awareness campaigns. These interventions should take the form of reviving the trust in national health authorities and structured awareness campaigns that offer transparent information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines and the technology that was utilized in their production.

The promulgation of the constitution of Kenya on 27th August, 2010 was a major milestone towards the improvement of health standards. Citizen’s high expectations are grounded on the fact that the new Constitution states that every citizen... more

The promulgation of the constitution of Kenya on 27th August, 2010 was a major milestone towards the improvement of health standards. Citizen’s high expectations are grounded on the fact that the new Constitution states that every citizen has right to life, right to the highest attainable standard of health including reproductive health and emergency treatment, right to be free from hunger and to have food of acceptable quality, right to clean, safe and adequate water and reasonable standards of sanitation and the right to a clean healthy environment. The Health Sector, therefore, needs to consolidate gains made in respect to provision of service delivery; leverage existing decentralized structures in health; and re-position itself to fulfil these expectations. The two levels of government are under obligation to ensure that the right measures are put in place for successful implementation of Constitution. This paper therefore looks at the emerging issues and their implications in the Kenya's health sector that continues to experience different challenges

International Encyclopedia of Public Health

Poor air quality from coal combustion adversely impacts human health including mortality and morbidity effects on respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, urinary, and digestive systems. However, the continued use of coal are no longer... more

Poor air quality from coal combustion adversely impacts human health including mortality and morbidity effects on respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, urinary, and digestive systems. However, the continued use of coal are no longer necessary to provide for society's electrical needs because of advances in solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. In order to inform health policy this paper reviews the data for quantifying the lives saved by a replacement of U.S. coal-fired electricity with solar PV systems. First the geospatial correlation with coal fired power plants and mortality is determined for the U.S. at the state level. Then, current life cycle mortality rates due to coal combustion are calculated and current energy generation data is collated. Deaths/kWh/year of coal and PV are calculated, and the results showed that 51,999 American lives/year could be saved by transitioning from coal to PV-powered electrical generation in the U.S. To accomplish this, 755GW of U.S. PV installations are needed. The first costs for the approach was found to be roughly 1.45trillion.Overthe25yearwarrantyonthePVmodulesthefirstcostperlifesavedisapproximately1.45 trillion. Over the 25 year warranty on the PV modules the first cost per life saved is approximately 1.45trillion.Overthe25yearwarrantyonthePVmodulesthefirstcostperlifesavedisapproximately1.1 million, which is comparable to the value of a human life used in other studies. However, as the solar electricity has value, the cost per life is determined while including the revenue of the solar electric generation using a sensitivity analysis on the value of the electricity. These results found that for most estimations of the value, saving a life by offsetting coal with PV actually saved money as well, in some cases several million dollars per life. It is concluded that it is profitable to save lives in the U.S. with the substitution of coal-fired electricity with solar power and that the conversion is a substantial health and environmental benefit.

Gymnastics is a sport well-known to be rife with injuries. In Canada, where citizens rely on a public health care system for support of long-term injuries, early exposure to injury risk is contrary to the public good. To address this... more

Gymnastics is a sport well-known to be rife with injuries. In Canada, where citizens rely on a public health care system for support of long-term injuries, early exposure to injury risk is contrary to the public good. To address this issue, the author explores different models of risk prevention in gymnastics, focusing on scoring, training, coaching and safety equipment.

Pilot Project mata kuliah hukum kesehatan

Because employers provide health insurance, they play a major role in the population’s health and in its security. In the United States, historically, employment has always been the cornerstone of private health insurance. In fact, 90... more

Because employers provide health insurance, they play a major role in the population’s health and in its security. In the United States, historically, employment has always been the cornerstone of private health insurance. In fact, 90 percent of people under 65 get their health insurance through employment. But the health of the labor market varies and with it the health of the population it serves. Economic struggles leads to less disposable income and bad health. Job security has been revisited and is no longer a guarantee. In most households, both parents are working and any layoff or illness is tantamount to major stress on their health because the U.S. health care system is the most expensive in the industrialized world. While the economy has recovered from the 2007-2008 Great Recession, the prospect of future economic recessions is still looming and when the next one hits, the impacts have the potential to be great and widely felt because the recipe for disaster is ubiquitous: an unaffordable health care system that is spiraling out of control. Medical bills are often synonymous with bankruptcy. Health care costs are constantly rising and Americans are hit with higher out-of-pocket costs on a regular basis. Because the health care system is price-based and not value-based, its efficiency is hindered. That is, although the U.S. spends twice as much in health care compared with the other OECD countries, its health outputs are inferior to those of countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Developments in communication and information technologies may be a golden opportunity to reverse the trend. These technologies may help improve the effectiveness of public health interventions. Telehealth or telemedicine, by integrating the patient – and because it’s moving to urban areas – is pivotal. Improving access, ensuring quality, and controlling costs to reduce wasteful spending should be the top priorities of health policy makers. Besides technology, emphasis should be put on health literacy programs and the valorization of communities. Also, there has been a lot of debate on whether the U.S. should embrace universal health coverage (UHC), also called Medicare-for-all or a single-payer system, or even a socialized medicine modeled after the U.K.’s health care system. At each end of the spectrum, proponents and opponents make their case using, of course, different arguments. The former think that health care should be made a fundamental right of citizenship while the latter think that health care is after all a service and people should pay for what they get, although amongst them some think that a public option – where private insurance and government insurance for all coexist – might be a better alternative to straight and universal socialized medicine benefiting every American regardless of their socioeconomic status.