Clinical medical practice and biomedical research utilize genetic information for specific purposes. Irrespective of the purpose of obtaining genetic material, methodologies for protecting the privacy of patients/donors in both clinical and research settings have not kept pace with rapid genetic advances. When the usage of genetic information is not predicated on the latest laws and policies, t...

Medical marijuana laws generate significant policy debates regarding drug policy. In particular, if marijuana is a complement or a gateway drug to hard drugs, these laws would increase not only the usage of marijuana but hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin. In this paper, I empirically study the relationships between marijuana and cocaine or heroin by analyzing data on drug possession arrests...

PROVIDENCE – According to a new study at Rhode Island Hospital which compared 20 years worth of data from states with and without medical marijuana laws, legalizing the drug did not lead to increased use among adolescents. The study is published online in advance of print in the Journal of Adolescent Health. “Any time a state considers legalizing medical marijuana, there are concerns from the p...

introduction: hospitals are responsible to respond to legitimate demands for health information release while protecting the confidentiality of patient health records. this study investigated and compared laws and policies of health information disclosure for legal authorities in iran and some selected countries. methods: this descriptive-comparative study included health information disclosure...

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recom­ mends universal motorcycle helmet laws (laws that apply to all motorcycle operators and passengers) based on strong evidence of effectiveness. Evidence indicates that universal helmet laws increase helmet use; decrease motorcycle-related fatal and non-fatal injuries; and are substantially more effective than no law or partial motorcycle helmet...

This issue's "Legal Briefing" column covers recent legal developments involving informed consent.1 We covered this topic in previous articles in The Journal of Clinical Ethics.2 But an updated discussion is warranted. First, informed consent remains a central and critically important issue in clinical ethics. Second, there have been numerous significant legal changes over the past year. We cate...