U.S. Courts News Reporter
On February 28, 2026 I joined a friend to see “Emalani,” a newly commissioned play at Arena Stage, inspired by the life Emm Na’ea Rooke, who became Queen when she married into the Kamehameha royal family, and who became known as a humanitarian, health care crusader, and advocate for native Hawaiians in the years before the United States took over the islands.
I had the good luck to chat with the playwright, Lee Cataluna, before the event started, which … Read the rest
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently updated two guidance documents applicable to wearable devices and guidance for clinical decision support tools, continuing the agency’s efforts to ease regulatory hurdles for digital health tools and potentially the use of artificial intelligence. The updates expand the type of digital health tools, including certain general wellness wearable devices and clinical decision support software, that are either exempt from medical device requirements or will be subject to enforcement discretion by FDA.
Key … Read the rest
“Curiosity killed the cat” is a proverb “used to warn of the dangers of unnecessary investigation or experimentation” (Wikipedia) or is an idiom “said to warn someone not to ask too many questions about something” (Cambridge online dictionary). Yet for the modern officer, curiosity is a must, as it aligns with their personal WHS due diligence obligation.
Work health and safety (WHS) legislation, case law developments and many a published article on corporate governance (or lack thereof), confirm that in … Read the rest
— OPINION —
The cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services today make a mockery of the “Make America Healthy Again” slogan by arbitrarily decimating new staff in key public health agencies who might actually implement the slogan.
The firings impact staff across HHS and affect thousands of people on “probationary” status.
The mass firings will undermine the work of two of the agencies that solve and prevent foodborne outbreaks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the … Read the rest
On November 7, 2024, Michigan lawmakers in the Senate introduced the Reproductive Data Privacy Act (“RDPA”), also known as Senate Bill 1082 (SB 1082). The bill aims to strengthen privacy protections for sensitive reproductive health data, including information on menstrual cycles, fertility, and contraception.
The RDPA is largely modeled after Washington’s My Health, My Data Act, but it more narrowly applies to organizations that provide reproductive health-related products or services, such as diagnostic testing, fertility apps, or abortion … Read the rest
On June 6, 2024, Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN) released a letter requesting information from stakeholders on their 21st Century Cures initiative, a policy effort focused on medical research and health care transformation and reforms. With this opportunity to comment, the lawmakers have renewed their commitment to developing the initiative with the support of the health community, nearly eight years after the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act (Pub. L. 114-255).
Enacted in December 2016, … Read the rest
As of November 2023, having a valid health care proxy became easier for New Yorkers. A health care proxy allows a competent adult to appoint an agent to make health care choices for them if they lose the ability to make those decisions for themselves. Two adults who are not appointed in the document must witness the signing of the health care proxy for it to be valid.[1]
The use of remote witnessing with audio-visual technology was permitted during the … Read the rest
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The Petitions of the Week column highlights a selection of cert petitions recently filed in the Supreme Court. A list of all petitions we’re watching is available here.
The Indian Health Service is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that administers health care programs for Native American tribes. In an effort to promote tribal self-governance, Congress allows tribes to contract with the agency to oversee these programs themselves. This week, we highlight petitions that … Read the rest