Cathy Lively, JD,MSc, DBe

Advantages of Advance Directives over Default Surrogate Laws The story of Baylie Grogan illustrates the advantages of a healthcare agent over a healthcare surrogate. I included some of these in the linked CNN story. First, not all states have default surrogates (e.g. Massachusetts, Minnesota). Second, the hierarchical sequence of default surrogate lists may not match the preferences of the patient. Third, as in this case, the hospital might seek guardianship rather than follow the default list. The take home lesson is appoint a healthcare agent to make decisions for you should you lose decision-making capacity. Otherwise, there is a much higher risk decisions will be made by someone who knows or cares about you less. You can appoint an agent in most states with a 1-page short-form advance directive. While the term "agent" is the most common, some states refer to this appointed person as your surrogate, POA, DPOAHC, or proxy.

ICYMI:

Opinion | Immigration Crackdowns? Expect Mental Health Consequences Deportations and fear tactics cause widespread harm

Immigration Crackdowns? Expect Mental Health Consequences www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...

Congratulations Rachel and thank you for posting this important and informative article

Enraging.

meanwhile, prominent pundits continue to deny that there the administration adheres to a segregationist ideology

Opinion | With the Threat of ICE Raids Looming, Hospitals Must Be Prepared Here's how health systems should respond

With the Threat of ICE Raids Looming, Hospitals Must Be Prepared www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...

“Not Just Measles”: Whooping Cough Cases Are Soaring as Vaccine Rates Decline While much of the country is focused on the spiraling measles outbreak, experts warn that whooping cough and other preventable diseases could get much worse with falling vaccination rates and Trump’s ...

www.propublica.org/article/whoo...

States Advance Fetal Rights Measures That Critics Warn Could Lead to Abortion Bans Anti-abortion activists across the country are pushing measures to enshrine the rights of fetuses

States Advance Fetal Rights Measures That Critics Warn Could Lead to Abortion Bans www.medpagetoday.com/obgyn/pregna...

U.S. maternal mortality rate increased 27% over five years, NIH study finds The U.S. maternal mortality rate increased 27% between 2018 and 2022, a new NIH study finds.

U.S. maternal mortality rate increased 27% over five years, NIH study finds www.statnews.com/2025/04/09/m... via @statnews.com

Texas' measles outbreak isn't slowing down. How can that change? Health experts say driving up vaccination rates in affected areas is the most effective defense against this disease

Texas’ measles outbreak isn’t slowing. Vaccination could change that : NPR www.npr.org/2025/04/08/n...

Pleased to see my recent article EMTALA and State Abortion Bans Juggling a Power Struggle is now published in Voices in Bioethics. It was great working with Anne Zimmerman in this article.
journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/bi...?

CDC’s top laboratory on sexually transmitted diseases is shut by Trump administration The Trump administration fired everyone in a CDC lab that is crucial to tracking drug-resistant gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases. "We are blind," an expert says.

The Trump administration fired everyone in a CDC lab that is crucial to tracking drug-resistant gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases. "We are blind," an expert says.

Supreme Court Appears Divided Over Whether States Can End Planned Parenthood Funding The court's decision could have wider effects

Supreme Court Appears Divided Over Whether States Can End Planned Parenthood Funding www.medpagetoday.com/washington-w...

Opinion | We Need Healthcare, Not Policing, For Immigrant Patients Here's how to help reestablish hospitals as safe spaces

We Need Healthcare, Not Policing, For Immigrant Patients www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...

Nearly 2,000 top researchers call on Trump administration to halt ‘assault’ on science Nearly 2,000 members of the National Academies called on the Trump administration to halt its “wholesale assault on U.S. science" in an open letter.

Nearly 2,000 members of the National Academies called on the Trump administration to halt its “wholesale assault on U.S. science" in an open letter.

www.statnews.com/2025/03/31/t...

Texas judge strikes down FDA’s plan to regulate lab-developed tests The FDA has long believed it has the power to regulate lab-developed tests, but it only put out the rules under former President Biden.

A federal judge in Texas squashed the Food and Drug Administration’s plan to regulate lab-developed tests

The American Bar Association has grave concerns about today’s decision to immediately end most of the government-funded legal services program for unaccompanied children. This program provides legal representation to more than 26,000 migrant children, who are in or have been released from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement custody. Providing services to these children helps them navigate complex immigration court proceedings and allows them to understand their legal options, while also protecting them from being trafficked, abused, or exploited in the United States.

The ABA is concerned by the U.S. government's cutoff of legal services for unaccompanied children. Read the full statement here: www.americanbar.org/news/abanews...

Opinion | Who Will Volunteer for Clinical Trials Now? The erosion of trust will devastate drug trial recruitment

Who Will Volunteer for Clinical Trials Now? www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...

Newborn babies exposed to measles in Texas hospital Infants barely three days old are receiving antibody injections to help protect against the virus. Nearly 300 cases have been reported in the outbreak.

Newborn babies exposed to measles in Texas hospital: staff is scrambling to control the damage. www.nbcnews.com/health/healt... via @nbcnews.com @erikaedwards.bsky.social

How a measles outbreak overwhelmed a small West Texas town The kindergarten vaccination rate against the measles in Gaines County is 82%, far below the 95% needed to achieve herd immunity.

How a measles outbreak overwhelmed a small West Texas town : NPR www.npr.org/2025/03/07/n...

At ‘Stand Up for Science’ rally, Francis Collins warns major NIH research programs ‘at severe risk’ At "Stand Up for Science" rallies across the U.S., scientists and their supporters protested Trump administration actions affecting research.

At ‘Stand Up for Science’ rally, Francis Collins warns major NIH research programs ‘at severe risk’ www.statnews.com/2025/03/07/s... via @statnews.com

What was childhood like before vaccines? The anti-vax movement has gone mainstream, but before these shots, grief and loss marked the lives of children.

"In the 19th century, it was incredibly dangerous to be a child.

As of 1900, about 18 percent, or nearly one in five, American children died before their fifth birthday. ..."
What changed? Better sanitation, medical advances - and vaccines. www.vox.com/health/40268...

Communities at Center of Measles Outbreak Choose Medical Freedom Over Vax Mandates Pediatricians see the consequences of that stance

Communities at Center of Measles Outbreak Choose Medical Freedom Over Vax Mandates www.medpagetoday.com/publichealth...

RFK Jr. moves to eliminate public comment on HHS decisions HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. moved to rescind the longtime practice of giving the public a chance to comment on the health agency’s plans.

RFK Jr. moves to eliminate public comment on HHS decisions www.statnews.com/2025/02/28/r... via @statnews.com

To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, F.B.I. Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data New records show that the F.B.I. identified Bryan Kohberger as a potential murder suspect after tapping consumer databases that were supposed to be off limits.

To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, FBI Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data: New records show that the F.B.I. identified Bryan Kohberger as a potential murder suspect after tapping consumer databases that were supposed to be off limits. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/u...

‘Unknown disease’ that can kill within days leaves 53 dead in Congo World Health Organization officials said the outbreak appeared to originate from a village where three children died after reportedly eating a bat carcass.

‘Unknown disease’ that can kill within days leaves 53 dead in Congo - World Health Organization officials said the outbreak appeared to originate from a village where three children died after reportedly eating a bat carcass. wapo.st/4kdTfYJ

Shedding and the Texas Measles Outbreak we have been here before...

Shedding and the Texas Measles Outbreak: The Texas health department reports it's type D8, a wild virus, but anti-vaccine activists have to lie about the cause, to excuse their efforts to promote the virus. via @aboutpediatrics.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/stopanti...

RFK Jr.'s dangerous misuse of 'informed consent' on vaccines Giving people an uncontextualized list of possible vaccine side effects is not the kind of "informed consent" worth promoting.

RFK Jr.’s dangerous misuse of ‘informed consent’ on vaccines: By Mark C. Navin, Lainie Friedman Ross, and Jason A. Wasserman www.statnews.com/2025/02/26/r... via @statnews.com