pharmacy law Flashcards
(112 cards)
definition of law
Requirements for human conduct applying to all persons within their jurisdiction
Factors courts commonly apply in reaching decisions:
– Fundamental notions of fairness
– Custom or history involved
– Command of a political entity
– Best balance between conflicting societal interests
reasons to regulate drugs
market failures:
– public goods
– externalities
– natural monopolies
– info. asymmetry
public goods
Necessary and beneficial commodities that private entities will not supply because there is no incentive/financial return
example: orphan drugs & vaccines
what is a market failure
when there is an inefficient distribution of goods and services that leads to a lack of equilibrium in a free market.
orphan drug
is a pharmaceutical agent that is developed to treat certain rare medical conditions
externality
When the production or consumption of a good affects someone who does not fully consent to the effect
When the costs of the good are not fully incorporated in the price of the good
– Example: indiscriminate use of antibiotics
monopoly
When the fixed costs of providing a good are high, relative to the variable costs of producing the good
– Example: patents and market exclusivity for new drugs
info. asymmetry
When the consumer is uninformed about the true value of a good
– Examples: prescription only drugs; written consumer information for certain drugs
limits of the law
Certain human relationships
* De minimis violations
*Protecting individual freedoms while preventing harm to others
sources of the law
U.S Constitution
legislatures
administrative agencies
courts
legislatures: statutory law
U.S.Congress(federal laws)
State constitutions
State legislatures (state laws)
Political subdivisions (ordinances)
law made by admin. agencies
admin, agencies are created by legislatures to admin. a body of substantive law
Law Made by Administrative Agencies:
Legislative Function
Promulgateregulations
– Regulations interpret, define, and add detail to statutes.
* Regulationsenactedvianoticeandcomment rulemaking
* Validitytestsofaregulation:
– Within scope of board’s authority – Based on statutory authority
– Reasonable relationship to public health, safety, and welfare
Law Made by Administrative Agencies: Judicial Function
Render decisions pursuant to “hearings” resembling court proceedings
- Decisions subject to judicial review
– The court will review record to determine if
decision was based on substantial evidence.
– De novo: If substantial evidence is lacking, court will conduct an entirely new trial.
Federal Agencies
Regulations published in Federal Register(Fed.
Reg.) and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
– Federal Register: daily publication of proposed
and final regulations and notices
– CFR: compilation of final regulations divided and indexed by subject matter
Law Made by Courts: Common Law
Common law refers to judicial opinions; adopted from the English judicial system
* Judicialopinions:decisionsofthecourt
– Enforceable as law
– Binding on lower courts in the same jurisdiction
* Staredecisis
– Opinions are binding on lower courts in the same
jurisdiction and serve as precedent.
– Reasons for deviating from precedent include factual distinctions and changing times or circumstances.
Relationship of Common Law to Statutory Law
Courts often must interpret the meaning and application of statutes.
* Principles of interpretation include:
– Determining legislative intent, if possible – Ordinary meaning of words
– Due process rights of the individual
Distinguishing Criminal, Civil, and Administrative Actions
Criminal: government v. private party
– Charged with a crime as prohibited by a statute and
subject to penalties specified by statute
– Objectives: deter, punish, rehabilitate
* Civil:privatepartyv.privateparty
– May be based upon statute or common law legal rights – Objective: compensation to injured party
* Administrative:agencyv.privateparty
– Disciplinary determination which may include warning, fines, licensure revocation or suspension, probation
Legislative Process:
Federal Level
Congress – Senate
Legislative Process:
Federal Level (1 of 2)
– House of Representatives
* The sponsor of a bill must be a legislator.
* The bill is sent to appropriate congressional committee.
– Holds hearings, conducts investigations
– Determines whether bill will go to Senate or House floor
After the bill leaves the committee, majority leadership places the bill on a calendar.
* The bill must be debated and passed in one chamber before being sent to other chamber for debate and passage.
* The conference committee must rectify differences.
* Role of the president
– Approve or veto bill
* Congress can override veto with two-thirds
Legislative Process: State Level
State legislatures generally modeled after
Congress
* Legislative history generally harder to determine because fewer written records of committee hearings and reports
The Judicial Process: Federal Court System
U.S Supreme Court
– Highest U.S. court. Nine justices; lifetime appointment
– Original jurisdiction only in cases involving ambassadors, other public ministers, consuls, and when a state is a party
– Other cases heard by writ of certiorari * Courtofappeals
– 12 judicial circuits and courts; primarily hear appeals * Districtcourts
– Jurisdiction primarily based on whether there is a federal law or constitutional issue; diversity citizenship; or if a state or the U.S. is a party
* Specialty courts
State Court System
State supreme court
– Each state has one
* Intermediate appellate courts
– In more populated states * Trialcourts
– Often called county courts, superior courts, district courts, or circuit courts
– Nearly unlimited jurisdiction
* Limited jurisdiction courts: i.e., probate, family, juvenile * Very limited jurisdiction courts:i.e., traffic, small claims
Civil Court Procedures: Selection of Court
State court likely unless:
– Federal issue is involved
– Parties are from different states