News

State Child Car Seat Laws Are Leaving Many Children Unprotected, Study Finds

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Many state laws on car seats and seat belts may leave children unprotected and vulnerable to injuries caused in vehicle crashes, according to a new study published this week in Social Science and Medicine.

In the US, nearly 250,000 children are injured every year in car crashes, and approximately 2,000 die from their injuries, according to federal data. Most of these fatalities and injuries are preventable.

Map Outlining Laws Governing the Release and Use of Personally Identifiable Information Now Available

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

An interactive map examining laws that govern the release and use of communicable disease-related patient information is now available on LawAtlas.org, the Public Health Law Research (PHLR) website dedicated to legal and policy surveillance. The newly released map examines laws across all 50 states and the District of Columbia and clarifies the varied national lands

Antibiotics Withdrawn from the Market Three Times More Often Than Other Drugs, According to New Study

Monday, September 23, 2013

More than 40 percent of the antibiotics released between 1980 and 2009 were withdrawn from the market for safety concerns, lack of effectiveness compared to existing drugs, and weak sales, according to the first study to evaluate the status of 30 years of antibiotic approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The study, released today in the Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics, found that antibiotics were withdrawn from the market at a rate three times higher than other drugs released between 1980 and 2009.

New Critical Opportunities Videos & Journal Article Offer Evidence-Based Solutions

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Ten new videos released today present ideas and evidence to support proposed legal and policy changes that can positively impact public health challenges.

“Laws can be cost-efficient and popular tools for achieving public health goals. This initiative captures specific actionable, evidence-based ideas for creative ways of using law or legal interventions to improve a public health problem,” said Scott Burris, JD, director of the PHLR program.

Study finds nearly half of Washington State's distracted drivers are texting

Monday, September 9, 2013

In Washington state's first study to examine driver use of electronic devices, investigators from the University of Washington found that more than 8 percent of drivers were engaged in the use of devices behind the wheel, higher than previously estimated. Among those driving distracted, nearly half (45 percent) were observed texting.

Maps Outlining State Laws on Seat Belts for Children and Dental Hygienist Scope of Practice Now Available

Thursday, August 15, 2013

New maps outlining state laws in two public health topics were published today on LawAtlas.org, the Public Health Law Research (PHLR) website dedicated to legal and policy surveillance. The two new state law maps on child restraint laws (i.e., seat belts) and scope of practice laws for dental hygienists add to an already existing library of state law maps on important public health issues, such as distracted driving, youth concussions, and sterile syringe access for drug users.

Study Finds Hospital Mandates Are More Effective at Compelling Health Care Workers to Receive Flu Vaccines

Thursday, July 18, 2013

For more than 30 years, the CDC has recommended that health care workers receive flu vaccines to prevent the spread of the illness. Despite this recommendation, less than two-thirds of health care workers were vaccinated in 2010-2011. Vaccine mandates, either by hospital policy or state law, are intended to help reach vaccination goals among health care workers.

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