“What do you think about physician aid in dying?” Because 18.2% of the U.S. population lives in jurisdictions where physician aid in dying (PAD) is now legal, physicians need to anticipate that patients may inquire about or request it. Two decades ago,…
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in “places of public accommodation” — those that are generally open to the public, including such categories as schools, restaurants, and …
In response to the opioid crisis, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken action on multiple fronts. We have approved better measures for treating opioid use disorder and preventing deaths from overdose, have launched efforts to inform more ap…
Biologic therapies for cancer and other disorders contribute to improved outcomes for many patients but also account for a large proportion of health care expenditures. Opportunities for cost containment may emerge as the patents on originator products…
Nearly all U.S. health care systems and many physician practices have by now migrated from paper charts to electronic health records (EHRs). But though this shift could have been a transformative change, current EHRs are largely digital remakes of trad…
The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 created a new Medicare benefit (Part D), a new insurance product (prescription-drug–only plans), and a new market. Fifteen years later, Part D is widely regarded as a succes…
Approximately one in five persons in the United States dies in or shortly after discharge from an intensive care unit (ICU), typically after a decision has been made by the patient’s surrogate decision maker to forgo life-prolonging therapies. Problems…
Passing the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) was a landmark event in health care policy. The ACA’s scope also went beyond health care. Included among myriad health insurance reforms and coverage expansions was Section 4205, a federal requirement for food…
Robust competition usually keeps the price of generic drugs well below that of brand-name drugs. When there is little or no competition, however, generic-drug manufacturers can substantially increase prices, and drug shortages may occur. Such market fa…
