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Decency LLC maintains a list of resources for individuals constrained by legal, ethical, or other challenges in their healthcare or medical research roles. Scroll below or search the site to explore the list.
Thank you to DLLC Summer 2022 Intern Cassandra Mirasolo for helping to compile many of these resources.
The hope is to continue to update and expand this list over time. Last update: April 26, 2024.
Please feel welcome to reach out and report broken links if information has become outdated. If you are interested in historical information, you can try pasting the outdated link into the search engine here at https://web.archive.org/, which may be able to return snapshots of the linked page on different dates in the past.
Note:
This page can be a starting point for understanding what kinds of resources exist in any given topic area.
Although this information is compiled by DLLC, the company does not have a relationship to the cited sources, has not “vetted” the sources, and is not recommending their use.
DLLC is not a law firm, does not take on legal clients, and is not able to provide advice or tailor guidance to any specific case.
The information and opinions on this site do not include legal advice or the advice of a licensed healthcare provider.
Current Sections
General Resources
State-Specific Resources
Resources for Lawyers Working in Healthcare and Research Settings
Information by Topic
Advance Directives
Adverse Events
Adverse Events—Liver Injury
Adverse Events—Reporting and Tracking
Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
Billing—Fraudulent Billing and Upcoding
Biosimilar Substitution
Captain of the Ship Doctrine (Medical Malpractice)
Choosing Wisely Canada
Coding and Billing
Coding and Billing—Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology
Coding and Billing—CMS
Complaints
Complaints—Department of Health and Human Services Programs
Complaints—FDA-Regulated Clinical Trials
Complaints—Office of Human Research Protection
Compounded Drugs
Conscience Protections and Complaints
Controlled Substances
Controlled Substances—Disposal
Controlled Substances—Records
Covert Experimentation
Data
Data and Intellectual Property
Data Sharing
Dental Hygiene Practice
Dietary Supplements
Digital Liberties and Healthcare
Discrimination in the Workplace
Documentation
Documentation—Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology
Documentation—Emergency Department Encounters
Domestic Violence
Drug Disposal
Drug Interactions
Drugs and Devices
Drugs and Devices—Breastfeeding Drug Safety
Drugs and Devices—Clinical Information
Drugs and Devices—Copay Adjustment Programs
Drugs and Devices—Pharmacy Benefit Managers
Drugs and Devices—Prices
Earned Sick Leave
Elder Abuse
EMS Incident Command
EMTALA
Ethics
Ethics in Medical Research
Ethics in Medicine
Ethics in Mental Health Counseling
Ethics in Nursing
Ethics in Psychology
Ethics in Social Work
Ethics—Publications
Exposures and Prophylaxis
Exposures and Prophylaxis—Hepatitis B, C
Exposures and Prophylaxis—HIV
Exposures and Prophylaxis—Occupational Infections
Feres Doctrine
Fraud and Abuse Laws
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Anti-Kickback Statute
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Compliance Programs for Physicians
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Enforcement Actions
Fraud and Abuse Laws—False Claims Act
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Fraud Reporting and Self-Disclosure
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Physician Self-Referral Law
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Social Security
Fraud Investigation and Prosecution
Free Healthcare Services
Good Samaritan Laws
Hazardous Materials
Health Law
Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
HIPAA
HIPAA—Basics for Providers
HIPAA—Business Associates
HIPAA—Breach Notification
HIPAA—Covered Entities
HIPAA—Parent’s Access to Records
HIPAA (Privacy) and Research
HIPAA—Violations and Complaints
Hippocratic Oath
HIV
Human Rights and Healthcare
Human Trafficking
Injury Reporting
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)
Involuntary Commitment
Laboratory Testing
Language Access in Healthcare
Legal Information Repositories
Licensing and Discipline
Licensing and Discipline—Medicine
Licensing and Discipline—Nursing
Mandatory Reporting
Medical Aid in Dying
Medical Calculations
Medical Debt Collection
Medical Decision Making
Medical Records and Research
Medical Tourism
Military Medical Ethics
National Practitioner Databank
Occupational Safety
Office-Based Surgery Laws
Open Payments Program
Out-of-Hospital Births
Pain Management and Medicine Misuse
Parasitic Diseases
Patient Abandonment
Patient Centered Medical Homes
Patient Hand-Offs
Patient Privacy
Patient Safety
Pill Identification
Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) Use in Older Adults
Prior Authorization
Prisons
Prisons—Executions/Death Penalty
Prisons—Experimentation
Prisons—Healthcare
Prisons—Organ Donation
Public Health
Public Health—Ask CDC Resource
Public Health—Authority
Public Health—Communicable Disease Intervention Laws
Public Health—COVID-19
Public Health—Patient Confidentiality
Rare Diseases
Refusal of Care
Regulated Medical Waste
Reproductive Rights and Access
Research Integrity
Right to Try Laws
SBAR (Nursing)
Scope of Practice and Delegation
Security—Misuse or Theft of Biotechnology
Social Security—Supporting Claims
State Medical Boards
Substance Use
Substance Use—Clinical Guidelines
Substance Use Evaluation, Management
Substance Use—Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention
Substance Use—Naloxone Overdose Prevention
Syringe Distribution Laws
Telehealth
Therapy—Client Confidentiality
Torture
Toxic Ingestions
Travelers’ Health
Vaccination Laws
Whistleblower Protections
Workplace Wellness
General Resources
From the American Psychological Association: information on avoiding common ethical pitfalls (2003), link: https://www.apa.org/monitor/jan03/10ways
Link here to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Guidance Portal: https://www.hhs.gov/guidance/
State-Specific Resources
Click here for additional state-specific resources.
Resources for Lawyers Working in Healthcare and Research Settings
Click here to see resources pertaining to legal roles in healthcare and research settings.
Advance Directives
Link here to information on living wills and healthcare powers of attorney: https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/fundamentals/legal-and-ethical-issues/advance-directives
Adverse Events—Liver Injury
Link here to information from the National Library of Medicine on liver injury related to prescription and non-prescription medications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547852/
Adverse Events—Reporting and Tracking
Link here to FAERS, the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/questions-and-answers-fdas-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers/fda-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers-public-dashboard
Link here to MedWatch, the FDA’s medical product safety reporting program: https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program
Link here to MedSun, the adverse event reporting program intended for “work[ing] collaboratively with the clinical community to identify, understand, and solve problems with the use of medical devices”: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/medical-device-safety/medsun-medical-product-safety-network
Link here to the Sentinel Initiative, an FDA initiative intended “to assess the safety of approved medical products including drugs, vaccines, and medical devices”: https://www.sentinelinitiative.org/about
Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding hospital breastfeeding laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/baby-friendly-hospital-1525279705
Billing—Fraudulent Billing and Upcoding
Link here to information on upcoding (submitting “billing codes that reflect higher levels of service or complexity than those that were actually required”): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5419025/
Biosimilar Substitution
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding biosimilar substitution laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/biosimilars-laws
Captain of the Ship Doctrine (Medical Malpractice)
Link here for information about the “captain of the ship” doctrine (where an “operating doctor becomes responsible for the negligent acts of operating room (OR) or delivery room (DR) staff”): https://www.physiciansweekly.com/understanding-captain-of-the-ship/
Choosing Wisely Canada
Link here to information about Choosing Wisely Canada, a Canadian “clinician-led campaign that encourages informed conversations between clinicians and patients about the potential risks of unnecessary tests, treatments, or procedures”: https://choosingwiselycanada.org/faq/
Coding and Billing—Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association provides resources here related to coding and reimbursement: https://www.asha.org/practice/reimbursement/coding/
Coding and Billing—CMS
Link here to coding and billing information from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/HomeHealthPPS/coding_billing
Complaints—Department of Health and Human Services Programs
Link here to the HHS-OIG Hotline for submitting “tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement” in Department of Health and Human Services programs: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/
Complaints—FDA-Regulated Clinical Trials
Link here to contact information for the purpose of reporting complaints related to FDA-regulated clinical trials: https://www.fda.gov/science-research/clinical-trials-and-human-subject-protection/reporting-complaints-related-fda-regulated-clinical-trials
Complaints—Office of Human Research Protection
Link here to information on submitting complaints and incident reporting related to human subjects research: https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/about-ohrp/contact-us/index.html#go-to-reporting-incidents
Compounded Drugs
Link here to information from the FDA regarding compounded drugs: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/compounding-and-fda-questions-and-answers
Conscience Protections and Complaints
Link here to information about conscience protections that “apply to health care providers who refuse on religious or moral grounds to perform or assist in the performance of certain health care services,” and information about filing conscience complaints: https://www.hhs.gov/conscience/conscience-protections/index.html
Controlled Substances—Disposal
Link here to information on controlled substance public disposal locations: https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main;jsessionid=rEwEH3XK-S0Ju2_Plg5MUOJ6-UJ-2NLYAx6mfWIY.web2?execution=e1s1
Controlled Substances—Records
Link here to information on “ordering and recordkeeping requirements” with respect to controlled substances: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3875106/
Covert Experimentation
Link here for information from the Borden Institute (U.S. Army) on covert experimentation in the United States: https://medcoeckapwstorprd01.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/pfw-images/borden/ethicsvol2/Ethics-ch-17.pdf
Data and Intellectual Property
Information on copyright and licensing with respect to databases: https://sco.library.emory.edu/research-data-management/publishing/copyright-data.html#:~:text=Databases%20and%20the%20United%20States,but%20only%20under%20certain%20conditions
Data Sharing
Information on HIPAA and sharing health information across jurisdictions (e.g., across state lines) (2021), link: https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/clinical-care/qa-sharing-health-information-across-state-lines
Dental Hygiene Practice
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding dental hygiene practice laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/dental-hygiene-practice-laws-1509026651
Dietary Supplements
Link here to information from the National Institutes of Health on dietary supplements sold in the United States: https://dsid.od.nih.gov/
Digital Liberties and Healthcare
Work by the Electronic Frontier Foundation at the intersection of digital liberties and healthcare, link: https://www.eff.org/search/site/health
Work by EPIC at the intersection digital liberties and healthcare, link: https://epic.org/?s=health
Discrimination in the Workplace
The Americans with Disabilities Act—application to volunteers, link: https://askjan.org/publications/consultants-corner/vol04iss02.cfm
U.S. government guidance on legal rights and mental health conditions in the workplace, link: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/depression-ptsd-other-mental-health-conditions-workplace-your-legal-rights#:~:text=It%20is%20illegal%20for%20an,forcing%20you%20to%20take%20leave%20(gov%20guide)
Employer mental health do’s and don’t’s (2020), link: https://www.lvb.com/dos-donts-employers-confronted-employee-mental-health-issues/#:~:text=In%20most%20cases%20an%20employer,asks%20for%20a%20reasonable%20accommodation
Information from the National Conference of State Legislatures on discrimination and harassment in the workplace (2021), link: https://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/employment-discrimination.aspx
U.S. government information on COVID-19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, link: https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-covid-19-and-ada-rehabilitation-act-and-other-eeo-laws
Documentation—Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology
Link here for documentation templates from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/templates/
Documentation—Emergency Department Encounters
Link here for information from the Clerkship Directors in Emergency Medicine on documentation of emergency department encounters: https://www.saem.org/about-saem/academies-interest-groups-affiliates2/cdem/for-students/online-education/m3-curriculum/documentation/documentation-of-em-encounters
Domestic Violence
Link here to information from the U.S. Department of Justice on documenting domestic violence (note that this publication is more than 20 years old; the publication year is 2001): https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/188564.pdf
Drug Disposal
Link here to information from the FDA on drug take back locations: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know/drug-disposal-drug-take-back-locations
Link here to the FDA’s “flush list” for certain medications: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know/drug-disposal-fdas-flush-list-certain-medicines#FlushList
Drug Interactions
Link here to drug interaction checkers and information (HIV, hepatitis, COVID) from the University of Liverpool and University of Basel: https://www.druginteractions.org/
Drugs and Devices—Breastfeeding Drug Safety
Link here to the Drugs and Lactation Database, which provides information on the potential impact of drugs on nursing infants: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501922/
Drugs and Devices—Clinical Information
Link here for clinical information on drugs and devices from Health Canada (a department of the Government of Canada): https://clinical-information.canada.ca/search/ci-rc
Drugs and Devices—Copay Adjustment Programs
Link here to information from the National Conference of State Legislatures on the use of copay adjustment programs by insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers, noting that “[a]s of summer 2023, laws in 20 states and Puerto Rico address[ed] the use of” these programs: https://www.ncsl.org/health/copayment-adjustment-programs
Drugs and Devices—Pharmacy Benefit Managers
Link here to information the National Association of Insurance Commissioners on Pharmacy Benefit Managers, their role, and relevant laws and regulation: https://content.naic.org/cipr-topics/pharmacy-benefit-managers
Drugs and Devices—Prices
Link here for GoodRx, which provides information on drug prices: https://www.goodrx.com/
Link here for a drug price search tool, based on drug name and location, from HealthPartners: https://openenrollment.medimpact.com/#/web/hmn/drug-price
Link here to MyFloridaRX (Florida-specific/Florida only), a prescription drug price locator: https://prescription.healthfinder.fl.gov
Earned Sick Leave
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding earned sick leave laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/earned-sick-leave-laws
Elder Abuse
The Sketchley Method compiles information here, by state, on elder abuse reporting hotlines: https://thesketchleymethod.com/report-elder-abuse/
EMS Incident Command
Link here for information on medical incident command and “management of the medical components of disasters and multiple or mass casualty incidents”: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534800/
EMTALA
Link here for information about the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA): https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/legislation/emergency-medical-treatment-labor-act
Ethics in Medical Research
Information from the National Institutes of Health on ethical research, link: https://www.nih.gov/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you/guiding-principles-ethical-research
Ethics in Medicine
Information from the American Medical Association on the Code of Medical Ethics, link: https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ethics/code-medical-ethics-overview
Information from the American Psychiatric Association on modernization of the Code of Medical Ethics (2017), link: https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2017.3a3
Search for ethics opinions here: https://code-medical-ethics.ama-assn.org/
Ethics in Mental Health Counseling
Link here to the American Mental Health Counselors Association Code of Ethics (2015): https://www.nhmhca.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=46276&module_id=281611
Ethics in Nursing
The American Nurses Association Center for Ethics and Human Rights helps nurses navigate challenges encountered in everyday practice, link: https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/
Ethics in Psychology
Read the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) code of ethics here: https://www.apa.org/ethics/code
Ethics in Social Work
See highlighted revisions to the National Association of Social Workers’ (NASW’s) Code of Ethics here: https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Highlighted-Revisions-to-the-Code-of-Ethics
Ethics—Publications
Link here for COPE (the Committee on Publication Ethics), offering as of January 20, 2024 resources including “a checklist of policies and procedures” and “videos of real cases highlighting common issues and how to respond to those issues”: https://publicationethics.org/
Exposures and Prophylaxis—Hepatitis B, C
Link here for the PEPline for guidance in managing provider exposure to HIV and hepatitis B and C: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/hotlines.html
Exposures and Prophylaxis—HIV
Link here for the Clinicians’ Warmline offering advice on preventing and treating HIV: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/hotlines.html
Link here for the Perinatal HIV Hotline: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/hotlines.html
Link here for the PEPline for guidance in managing provider exposure to HIV and hepatitis B and C: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/hotlines.html
Link here for the PrEPline for guidance on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/hotlines.html
Exposures and Prophylaxis—Occupational Infections
Link here to information from the World Health Organization on occupational infections: https://www.who.int/tools/occupational-hazards-in-health-sector/occupational-infections
Feres Doctrine
Link here for information from the Congressional Research Service on military medical malpractice and the Feres doctrine: https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/IF11102.pdf
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Anti-Kickback Statute
Link here to information about the Anti-Kickback Statute from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General: https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/physician-education/fraud-abuse-laws/
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Compliance Programs for Physicians
Link here to information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General on compliance programs for physicians who treat Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries: https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/physician-education/compliance-programs-for-physicians/
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Enforcement Actions
Read here about past enforcement actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/enforcement/
Find information and case summaries here from the U.S. Department of Justice related to recent health care fraud enforcement actions: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/recent-national-enforcement-actions
Fraud and Abuse Laws—False Claims Act
Link here to information about the False Claims Act from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General: https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/physician-education/fraud-abuse-laws/
Link here to information from the National Whistleblower Center on whistleblowing related to the False Claims Act: https://www.whistleblowers.org/protect-the-false-claims-act/
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Fraud Reporting and Self-Disclosure
Find resources here from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services related to fraud reporting: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicaid-coordination/center-program-integrity/reporting-fraud
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General offers resources here for individuals seeking to report or voluntarily self-disclose potential fraud against federal healthcare programs: https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/physician-education/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-a-problem/
Find information about the provider self-disclosure protocol and a link for online submission here from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General: https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/self-disclosure-info/self-disclosure-protocol/
Find information here from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General regarding “type[s] of complaints [they] do and do not address”: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/before-you-submit/
Find information here from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General on Social Security fraud reporting: https://oig.ssa.gov/report/
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Physician Self-Referral Law
Link here to information about the Physician Self-Referral Law from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General: https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/physician-education/fraud-abuse-laws/
Fraud and Abuse Laws—Social Security
Link here to information from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General related to “allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse and mismanagement in Social Security programs and operations”: https://oig.ssa.gov/fraud-reporting/fraud-categories/
Fraud Investigation and Prosecution
Find information here on the Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership, a public-private data-sharing initiative including “federal government, state agencies, law enforcement, private health insurance plans, and healthcare anti-fraud associations”: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/about
Find a list of participants in the Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership here: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/about/current-partners
Find information here on the Health Care Fraud Unit at the U.S. Department of Justice: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit
Find information here from the FBI on healthcare fraud investigation and reporting tips: https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/white-collar-crime/health-care-fraud
Find information here from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General on the Medicare Fraud Strike Force: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/strike-force/
Free Healthcare Services
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding free healthcare services and provider immunity from civil liability: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/public-health-clinics-billing-for-care-provider-immunity
Good Samaritan Laws
Link here for information about good Samaritan laws (“limit[ing] liability for those who voluntarily perform care and rescue in emergency situations”): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542176/
Hazardous Materials
Link here to the 2020 Emergency Response Guidebook for first responders, posted by the U.S. Department of Transportation: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/erg/erg2020-english
Health Law
Pace University offers a Health Law Research Guide here: https://libraryguides.law.pace.edu/c.php?g=319350&p=2133992
Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
Link here to information from the CDC regarding healthcare-associated infections: https://www.cdc.gov/hai/index.html
HIPAA—Basics for Providers
Link here for information about HIPAA, published for providers by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/Downloads/HIPAAPrivacyandSecurity.pdf
HIPAA—Breach Notification
Link here to information from the U.S. government about HIPAA and breach notification: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/breach-notification/index.html
HIPAA—Business Associates
Link here to information on HIPAA and business associates and disclosure of protected health information: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/business-associates/index.html
HIPAA—Covered Entities
Information from the U.S. government about “covered entities,” link: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/covered-entities/index.html
HIPAA—Parent’s Access to Records
Link here to guidance from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services regarding parents’ access to their children’s medical records: https://www.hhs.gov/guidance/document/faq-227-does-hipaa-privacy-rule-allow-parents-right-see-their-childrens-medical-records-0
HIPAA (Privacy) and Research
Government guidance on HIPAA in the research context, link: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/research/index.html
HIPAA—Violations and Complaints
Find information here regarding HIPAA complaints and investigations: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
Hippocratic Oath
Link here to classical and modern versions of the Hippocratic Oath: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/hippocratic-oath-today/
Link here to a translation and commentary noting modern controversies: https://www.bu.edu/arion/files/2010/03/Arenas_05Feb2010_Layout-3.pdf
Link here to The Genuine Works of Hippocrates by Francis Adams (1849), as a digitized book: https://classicalliberalarts.com/resources/HIPPOCRATES_1.pdf
HIV
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding HIV criminalization laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/hiv-criminalization-statutes
Link here to information about the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (“the largest federal program focused on HIV”): https://ryanwhite.hrsa.gov/about/legislation
Human Rights and Healthcare
Work by Amnesty International at the intersection of health and human rights, link: https://www.amnesty.org/en/search/health/
Human Trafficking
Link here for information from the U.S. Department of State on Domestic Trafficking Hotlines: https://www.state.gov/domestic-trafficking-hotlines/
Injury Reporting
Link here to an injury statistics and reporting system from the CDC, including information on the National Violent Death Reporting System: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)
Link here to “Guidance for Institutional Review Boards and Clinical Investigators” from the FDA: https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/institutional-review-boards-frequently-asked-questions
Involuntary Commitment
Find information here from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University on substance use and involuntary commitment: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/civil-commitment-for-substance-users
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding short-term emergency commitment laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/short-term-civil-commitment
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding long-term involuntary commitment laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/long-term-involuntary-commitment-laws
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding involuntary outpatient commitment: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/involuntary-outpatient-commitment-1442865639
Laboratory Testing
Link here to information on CLIA law and regulations (CLIA regulations “establish quality standards for laboratory testing performed on specimens from humans, such as blood, body fluid and tissue, for the purpose of diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of disease, or assessment of health”): https://www.cdc.gov/clia/law-regulations.html
Language Access in Healthcare
An article on language access in healthcare (2007), link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2150609/
Legal Information Repositories
Link here to Public.Resource.Org, which digitizes and facilitates access to legal information such as laws, U.S. federal government works, and court documents. (Note: This is not a healthcare-specific resource.)
Licensing and Discipline—Medicine
Link here to state-by-state resources from ProPublica for looking up disciplinary documents: https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/investigating-doctors
Link here to a guide from the Federation of State Medical Boards on medical regulation in the United States: https://www.fsmb.org/u.s.-medical-regulatory-trends-and-actions/guide-to-medical-regulation-in-the-united-states/
Link here for information on licensing and examinations from the Federation of State Medical Boards: https://portal.fsmb.org/
Link here to medical licensing and discipline data from the Federation of State Medical Boards: https://www.fsmb.org/u.s.-medical-regulatory-trends-and-actions/u.s.-medical-licensing-and-disciplinary-data/
Link here to information from the Office of Refugee Resettlement on U.S. medical licensing: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/u-s-medical-licensing-process
Link here to information from telehealth.hhs.gov regarding multi-state licensure compacts: https://telehealth.hhs.gov/licensure/licensure-compacts
Licensing and Discipline—Nursing
Link here to information from NCSBN on nursing regulation and licensure: https://www.ncsbn.org/boards.page
Mandatory Reporting
Link here for information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/statutes/manda/
Medical Aid in Dying
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding medical aid in dying or death with dignity legislation: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/right-to-die-with-dignity
Link here to Decency LLC’s own coverage of the medical aid in dying landscape as of March 2023: https://www.havesomedecency.org/in-depth-medical-aid-in-dying-maid
Medical Calculations
Link here to MDCalc, which offers decision support tools such as medical calculators and guidelines: https://www.mdcalc.com/
Medical Debt Collection
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding medical debt collection policies: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/patient-affordability-and-debt-collection-policies
Medical Decision Making
Link here to information on surrogate decision making in healthcare: https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/fundamentals/legal-and-ethical-issues/default-surrogate-decision-making
Medical Records and Research
An article on the use of medical records in research (2003), link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4816216/
Medical Tourism
Link here for information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on medical tourism: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/medical-tourism
Link here to ethical guidance from the American Medical Association on the topic of medical tourism: https://code-medical-ethics.ama-assn.org/ethics-opinions/medical-tourism
Military Medical Ethics
Link here to information from the Borden Institute (U.S. Army) on military medical ethics: https://medcoe.army.mil/borden-tb-mil-med-ethics-vol2
National Practitioner Databank
Link here for the National Practitioner Databank, “an alert or flagging system intended to facilitate a comprehensive review of the professional credentials of health care practitioners, providers, and suppliers”: https://www.npdb-hipdb.com/
Occupational Safety
Link here to information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration specifically relating to healthcare workplaces: https://www.osha.gov/healthcare
Office-Based Surgery Laws
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding office-based surgery laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/office-based-surgery-laws
Open Payments Program
Link here to information on the Open Payments Program, a national disclosure program and “publicly accessible database of payments that reporting entities, including drug and medical device companies, make to covered recipients like physicians”: https://www.cms.gov/openpayments
Out-of-Hospital Births
Link here to information from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on planned home births: https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2017/04/planned-home-birth
Pain Management and Medicine Misuse
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding pain management laws and policies: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/state-laws-and-other-regulatory-policies-related-to-pain-care-final
Parasitic Diseases
Link here for the CDC’s Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria: https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/contact.html
Patient Abandonment
Link here to information on patient abandonment and the physician-patient relationship: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563285/
Patient Centered Medical Homes
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding patient centered medical home laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/patient-centered-medical-home-laws-2
Patient Hand-Offs
Link here to information from the Clerkship Directors in Emergency Medicine on effective and safe patient hand-offs: https://www.saem.org/about-saem/academies-interest-groups-affiliates2/cdem/for-students/online-education/m3-curriculum/communication/effective-and-safe-patient-hand-offs
Patient Privacy
A summary of the HIPAA privacy rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, link: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/laws-regulations/index.html
On HIPAA in elementary and secondary school settings, link: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/faq/513/does-hipaa-apply-to-an-elementary-school/index.html
On parents’ rights to see their children’s medical records, link: https://www.hhs.gov/guidance/document/faq-227-does-hipaa-privacy-rule-allow-parents-right-see-their-childrens-medical-records-0#:~:text=Yes%2C%20the%20Privacy%20Rule%20generally,with%20State%20or%20other%20law
Patient Safety
Link here to training and education materials from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (patient safety information is currently available through the agency’s Patient Safety Network, “PSNet”): https://www.ahrq.gov/
Pill Identification
Link here to a resource for pill identification: https://pill-id.webpoisoncontrol.org/#!/intro
Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) Use in Older Adults
Link here for information about medications “typically best avoided by older adults”: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37139824/
Prior Authorization
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding prior authorization and ADHD medications: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/adhd-prior-authorization-policies
Prisons—Executions/Death Penalty
Link here to an AMA Code of Medical Ethics opinion on physician participation in executions: https://code-medical-ethics.ama-assn.org/ethics-opinions/capital-punishment
Link here to an American Nurses Association (ANA) position statement on nurse participation in capital punishment: https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/official-position-statements/id/capital-punishment-and-nurse-participation-in-capital-punishment/
Link here to commentary from the American Board of Anesthesiology on physician participation in capital punishment: https://www.theaba.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Capital_Punishment.pdf
Link here to compiled excerpts from various professional associations regarding medical professional participation in capital punishment: https://lethalinjectioninfo.org/professional-associations-policies/
Prisons—Experimentation
Link here to the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment: https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/body-principles-protection-all-persons-under-any-form-detention
Prisons—Healthcare
Information from the ACLU on healthcare rights in the prison system, link: https://www.aclu.org/other/know-your-rights-medical-dental-and-mental-health-care-0
Prisons—Organ Donation
Link here to information from the Health Resources & Services Administration regarding the ethics of organ donation by condemned prisoners: https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/professionals/by-topic/ethical-considerations/the-ethics-of-organ-donation-from-condemned-prisoners/
Public Health—Ask CDC Resource
Link here for Ask CDC, offering phone or email support: https://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/ask-cdc.html
Public Health—Authority
Link here for information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding reallocation of public health authority: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/public-health-authority-shiftss
Link here for information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding public health preemption: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/public-health-preemption
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding public health authority in response to emergencies: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/laws-addressing-public-health-authority-to-respond-to-emergencies
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding emergency suspension powers: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/emergency-powers
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding limitation of public health emergency orders: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/sentinel-surveillance-laws-limiting-public-health-authority
Public Health—Communicable Disease Intervention Laws
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding communicable disease intervention laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/communicable-disease-intervention-protocol
Public Health—COVID-19
Link here to information compiled by the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University on laws, policies, and emergency declarations related to the COVID-19 pandemic: https://www.lawatlas.org/page/covid19-legal-research-resources
Public Health—Patient Confidentiality
Link here for information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding public health and state patient confidentiality laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/public-health-departments-and-state-patient-confidentiality-laws
Rare Diseases
Link here to a NORD database of medical centers that diagnose and treat rare diseases: https://rarediseases.org/rare-disease-centers-of-excellence/
Regulated Medical Waste
Link here to information on regulated medical waste: https://www.epa.gov/rcra/medical-waste
Reproductive Rights and Access
The State of California provides compiled information here on its own state laws pertaining to reproductive rights and access: https://abortion.ca.gov/your-rights/state-action/
Link here for Decency LLC’s coverage of the reproductive rights and access landscape as of August 2023: https://www.havesomedecency.org/in-depth-abortion-laws-across-the-nation
Research Integrity
Find information on clinical trial requirements here, from the University of Nevada, Reno: https://www.unr.edu/research-integrity/human-research/researchers-affiliates/clinical/regulatory/requirements
Right to Try Laws
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding Right to Try Laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/right-to-try-laws
SBAR (Nursing)
Link here to information on SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation), a “tool for organizing and communicating information”: https://www.rivier.edu/academics/blog-posts/sbar-nursing-a-how-to-guide/
Scope of Practice and Delegation
Link here to information from the American Association of Medical Assistants regarding states’ scope of practice laws for medical assistants: https://www.aama-ntl.org/employers/state-scope-of-practice-laws
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding nurse practitioner scope of practice laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/nurse-practitioner-scope-of-practice-1460402165
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding registered nurse scope of practice laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/registered-nurse-scope-of-practice-1509027306
Link here to information from the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists on clinical nurse specialist (CNS) scope of practice: https://nacns.org/advocacy-policy/policies-affecting-cnss/scope-of-practice/
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding pharmacist scope of practice laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/pharmacist-scope-of-practice-1509023805
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding physician scope of practice delegation laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/physician-scope-of-practice-1509022789
Link here to information from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification on rehabilitation counselor scope of practice: https://crccertification.com/scope-of-practice/
Security—Misuse or Theft of Biotechnology
Link here to information from the National Counterintelligence and Security Center on protecting against misuse or theft of emerging technologies (“Safeguarding Science”), including biomedical technologies: https://www.dni.gov/index.php/safeguarding-science
Social Security—Supporting Claims
Link here to information from the Social Security Administration on the healthcare professional’s role in disability claims: https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/index.htm
Link here to information from the Social Security Administration on supporting disability claims as a mental health professional: https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/mentalhealthproffacts.htm
State Medical Boards
Link here to find state medical board contact information from the Federation of State Medical Boards: https://www.fsmb.org/contact-a-state-medical-board/
Link here to state medical board data from the Federation of State Medical Boards: https://www.fsmb.org/u.s.-medical-regulatory-trends-and-actions/state-medical-board-data/
Substance Use—Clinical Guidelines
Link here for clinical guidelines from the American Society of Addiction Medicine: https://www.asam.org/quality-care/clinical-guidelines
Substance Use Evaluation, Management
Link here for peer-to-peer consultation on substance use evaluation and management: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/hotlines.html
Substance Use—Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention
Link here to information from the Prescription Drug Abuse Policy System on good Samaritan overdose prevention laws: https://pdaps.org/datasets/good-samaritan-overdose-laws-1501695153
Substance Use—Naloxone Overdose Prevention
Link here to information from the Prescription Drug Abuse Policy System on naloxone overdose prevention laws: https://pdaps.org/datasets/laws-regulating-administration-of-naloxone-1501695139
Syringe Distribution Laws
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding syringe distribution laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/syringe-policies-laws-regulating-non-retail-distribution-of-drug-parapherna
Telehealth
Link here for information from telehealth.hhs.gov regarding licensing and telehealth: https://telehealth.hhs.gov/licensure/licensing-across-state-lines
Link here to information from telehealth.hhs.gov regarding multi-state licensure compacts: https://telehealth.hhs.gov/licensure/licensure-compacts
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding telehealth and primary care provider laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/telehealth
Therapy—Client Confidentiality
Information on client confidentiality in therapy, link: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/client-confidentiality
Torture
Link here to the Convention Against Torture: https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-against-torture-and-other-cruel-inhuman-or-degrading
Toxic Ingestions
Link here to Poison Control and the poison control hotline: https://www.poison.org/
Travelers’ Health
Link here for the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions’ Yellow Book of health information for international travel, such as the “government’s most current travel health guidelines, including pretravel vaccine recommendations, destination-specific health advice, and easy-to-reference maps, tables, and charts”: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/yellowbook-home
Link here to clinician resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to travelers’ health: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/clinician-information-center
Vaccination Laws
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding pharmacist vaccination laws: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/pharmacist-vaccination
Whistleblower Protections
Link here to information (2021) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General related to whistleblower protections: https://oig.hhs.gov/documents/root/362/ocig-whistleblower-2021.pdf
Link here to a virtual learning presentation (February 9, 2021) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General related to whistleblower protections: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT7I0oZhJ-o
Link here to resources from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General related to the role of the Whistleblower Protection Coordinator: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/whistleblower/
Workplace Wellness
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding workplace wellness laws and public employers: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/state-workplace-wellness-laws-public
Link here to information from the Policy Surveillance Program at Temple University regarding workplace wellness laws and private employers: https://www.lawatlas.org/datasets/state-workplace-wellness-laws-private