Internet Voting is Being Pushed by False Claims and Deceptive Marketing

While the convenience of voting from a computer or smartphone over the Internet may seem to be desirable, there is overwhelming evidence that ballots cast electronically cannot be adequately secured to protect the legitimacy of the votes and integrity of our elections. Despite these conclusion, online voting has only increased in the U.S. This begs the question, why? From public statements, news reports, press releases and marketing materials it becomes evident that the vendors of these online voting systems have been selling their systems to state and local officials with potentially false, misleading and/or deceptive marketing claims. These spurious claims have served to counter the scientific conclusion that online voting is dangerously insecure and unsuitable for public elections. Moreover, these specious assertions promising security have led state and local government officials to believe, incorrectly, that online voting can be secured, and for these officials to support or press for legislation to adopt and/or expand online voting. This paper examines spurious or false claims made by the two most prominent Internet voting system vendors in the United States, and the impact these false claims have had on laws and policies to adopt online voting

Bad Biocitizens?: Latinos and the US "Obesity Epidemic"

For years now, the United States has faced an “obesity epidemic” that, according to the dominant narrative, is harming the nation by worsening the health burden, raising health costs, and undermining productivity. Much of the responsibility is laid at the foot of Blacks and Latinos, who have higher levels of obesity. Latinos have provoked particular concern because of their rising numbers. Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign is now targeting Latinos. Like the national anti-obesity campaign, it locates the problem in ignorance and calls on the Latino community to “own” the issue and take personal responsibility by embracing healthier beliefs and behaviors. In this article, we argue that this dominant approach to obesity is misguided and damaging because it ignores the political-economic sources of Latino obesity and the political-moral dynamics of biocitizenship in which the issue is playing out. Drawing on two sets of ethnographic data on Latino immigrants and United States-born Latinos in southern California, we show that Latinos already “own” the obesity issue; far from being “ignorant,” they are fully aware of the importance of a healthy diet, exercise, and normal weight. What prevents them from becoming properly thin, fit biocitizens are structural barriers associated with migration and assimilation into the low-wage sector of the US economy. Failure to attain the normative body has led them to internalize the identity of bad citizens, assume personal responsibility for their failure, naturalize the conditions for this failure, and feel that they deserve this fate. We argue that the blaming of minorities for the obesity epidemic constitutes a form of symbolic violence that furthers what Berlant calls the “slow death” of structurally vulnerable populations, even as it deepens their health risks by failing to address the fundamental sources of their higher weightsAnthropolog

Covid-19 in the UK: policy on children and schools

Key messagesPandemic policy on children and schools reflected UK based scientific narratives that did not align with global scientific consensusGovernment relied on evidence that downplayed the seriousness of covid-19 in children, underestimated the benefits of precautionary measures, and overestimated the harms of vaccinationReturn to school in September 2020 with minimal emphasis on masking and air quality, and inadequate support for isolation may have accelerated community transmissionThe public inquiry should explore why the UK was an international outlier in its approach to protecting children and making schools and communities safe

Dataset: The lived experiences of UK physiotherapists involved in Cauda Equina Syndrome litigation. A qualitative study

Background Cauda Equina Syndrome is a serious spinal pathology, which can have life changing physical and psychological consequences and is highly litigious. Litigation can have negative personal and professional effects on the healthcare professionals cited in a clinical negligence claim. There is an absence of research looking at the experience of the physiotherapist and as such, it is unknown the impact litigation is having on them. This study explored the lived experiences of UK physiotherapists in relation to Cauda Equina Syndrome litigation. Methods A qualitative design, informed by Gadamerian hermeneutic phenomenology, using semi-structured interviews was used to explore participants’ lived experiences of litigation. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Findings were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis framework. Nvivo software was used to facilitate analysis. The study is reported in accordance with the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative (COREQ) research. Results 40 interviews took place online or over the phone, with physiotherapists and stakeholders. Four themes were found; ‘litigation effects’, ‘it feels personal’, ‘learning from litigation’ and ‘support and training’. Conclusion This is the first study to investigate the lived experiences of litigation in UK physiotherapists. Involvement in clinical negligence affected physiotherapists’ physical and mental wellbeing and impacted their clinical practice. Most physiotherapists felt litigation was a personal attack on them and their ability to do their job. Physiotherapists highlighted perceptions of a ‘blame culture’ and perceived stigma associated with the claim, which often led to a lack of sharing and learning from litigation. Physiotherapists emphasised the need for emotional support for those going through a legal claim and that training was needed to understand the process of litigation and range of potential outcomes

How current law and policy supports providers of NHS healthcare in England to respond to patient harm: a scoping review protocol

Introduction Harm arising from National Health Service (NHS) healthcare results in significant human cost for the patient, those who care for them, and the medical staff involved. Furthermore, patient harm results in substantial financial costs to the public purse. Improving how NHS providers in England respond to patient harm could reduce the number of claims for clinical negligence brought against NHS. Doing so will ensure those affected receive the justice they deserve and protect the public purse. Law and policy are key to supporting providers of NHS healthcare to respond to patient harm but are not necessarily understood and therefore can be challenging to apply to practice. Research exploring how law and policy supports this understanding is limited. The purpose of this scoping review is to address this knowledge gap and improve understanding by critically evaluating how law and policy supports providers of NHS healthcare in England to respond to patient harm. Methods and analysis The review will use the methodological framework proposed by Arskey and O’Malley, Levac et al and the Joanna Briggs Institute. Search strategies will be developed using selected key words and index terms. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Westlaw and reference lists of relevant publications will be searched to identify relevant grey literature. Two reviewers will independently assess the extracted data against the eligibility criteria. All studies identified will be charted and the results presented as a narrative synthesis

Clinical negligence and physiotherapy: UK survey of physiotherapists’ experiences of litigation

Aim To investigate the extent and impact of litigation on the UK physiotherapy profession. Design An online cross-sectional questionnaire survey design was used. The survey was open to all qualified physiotherapists who have practiced in the UK, from any speciality, of any grade and from any setting including NHS, non-NHS, and private practice. Results 688 respondents completed the survey (96% CI). All UK nations were represented. 73% were female, 44% were qualified >20 Years. Most worked in the NHS (74%) and worked in a neuromusculoskeletal setting (62%). 10% of respondents had been involved in litigation. 128 claims were reported with some respondents being involved in more than 1 case. Litigation was a highly stressful experience for those who experienced it and was a source of concern for many others. The personal impact was stress (76%) and worry and anxiety (67%). The most common professional impact was defensive practice (68%). Most respondents incorrectly identified who should provide their legal support. 46% were not satisfied with the support received. Most (77%) reported that litigation training should be included in pre-registration, as well as postgraduate (68%) programs. Conclusion This is the first UK survey that has investigated the experiences of litigation on the UK physiotherapy profession. Ten percent of physiotherapists in our survey had been involved in litigation. Litigation impacted physiotherapists’ physical and mental wellbeing and their clinical practice. Improved support, both emotional and legal is required. Clinical negligence training should be included in pre-registration and postgraduate programs

Mass infection is not an option: we must do more to protect our young.

Funder: Medical Research CouncilFunder: Wellcome Trus