HealthLawProf Blog

SSRN Top Ten Public Health Law Downloads Between August 30 and October 29, 2010

The following are the top ten SSRN downloads for Public Health Law for the period between August 30 and October 29, 2010:

Rank	Downloads	Paper Title
1	1345	Commandeering the People: Why the Individual Health Insurance Mandate is Unconstitutional Randy E. Barnett, Georgetown University Law Center, Date posted to database: September 22, 2010 Last Revised: September 24, 2010
2	122	Taking Stock of Comstock: The Necessary and Proper Clause and the Limits of Federal Power Ilya Somin, George Mason University - School of Law, Faculty, Date posted to database: September 29, 2010 Last Revised: September 29, 2010
3	113	Adverse Reactions: Structure, Philosophy, and Outcomes of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Michael Lee, Yale University - Law School, Date posted to database: July 15, 2010 Last Revised: October 8, 2010
4	106	The Individual Mandate and the Taxing Power Erik M. Jensen, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Date posted to database: September 27, 2010 Last Revised: September 27, 2010
5	78	Regulating Tobacco Flavours: Implications of WTO Law Tania S. Voon, Andrew D. Mitchell, Melbourne Law School, Melbourne Law School, Date posted to database: October 8, 2010 Last Revised: October 8, 2010
6	76	Waiving Your Privacy Goodbye: Privacy Waivers and the HITECH Act’s Regulated Price for Sale of Health Data to Researchers Barbara J. Evans, University of Houston - Law Center, Date posted to database: August 24, 2010 Last Revised: August 24, 2010
7	67	Environmental and Health Regulation: Assessing Liabilities Under Investment Treaties Rahim Moloo, Vale Center at Columbia University, Date posted to database: August 22, 2010 Last Revised: August 27, 2010
8	53	Mental Illness in Prison: Inmate Rehabilitation & Correctional Officers in Crisis SpearIt, Saint Louis University School of Law, Date posted to database: July 23, 2010 Last Revised: October 6, 2010

Newly Created ACA Litigation Blog Follows the Progress of the States' Constitutional Challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Sure to be of great interest to readers of this blog is the new ACA Litigation Blog run by Professor Bradley W. Joondeph of the Santa Clara University School of Law. The ACA Litigation Blog is a place to find news updates, legal analysis, and all of the official documents related to the states' constitutional challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010). Hat tip to Professor Michelle Oberman.

 

Non-GMO Month and the Roll-Out of the Non-GMO Verification Seal

This coming month is Non-GMO month which coincides with the launch of the new non-GMO verification seal by the Non-GMO Project.  About 580 natural food stores plan to participate in the event which celebrates the qualification of approximately 900 products for the Non-GMO seal. In order to qualify, product manufacturers and producers must participate in a verification program that includes on-site audits, genetic testing of ingredients and a document-based review to confirm that the product does not contain GMOs. Whole Foods' entire 365 Every Day Value product range is going through the verification process.

According to FOODnavigator-usa.com

Whole Foods Market senior global vice president of purchasing, distribution and marketing Michael Besancon said: 'Shoppers want more information about what’s happening to their food. The Non-GMO Project’s program helps us stay true to our mission of offering food in its most natural and unadulterated state. We’re committed to this program because it gives us and our suppliers a way to label non-GMO verified products and to educate consumers so they can make informed choices.'

Although the USDA requires that certified organic produce must also be GM-free, there is no government requirement for labeling of foods containing GM ingredients in the non-organic sector. And for some crops, it is becoming increasingly difficult for manufacturers to source non-GM versions. GM soy, for example – the most widely grown GM crop – now accounts for 90 percent of soy produced in the US.

CEO of the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association Corinne Shindelar said: 'Retailers started the Non-GMO Project because of consumer concern and requests for non-GMO foods.'