The constitutionality of law n° 99-641 of July 23, 1999 Loi portant création d’une couverture maladie universelle (Act Creating Universal Health Coverage), was challenged in the Conseil Constitutionnel. The Act was structured as follows: Article 1 created universal health insurance, guaranteeing everyone care under a health insurance scheme. Low income earners were given the right …Read more

This joint appeal involved two cases wherein mentally ill individuals were released from psychiatric hospitals into the care of their families. In File 152.647, Jorge Sandro Hernandez Tacuri had been repeatedly admitted into psychiatric hospitals because he suffered from a variety of mental psychosis, including schizophrenia and epilepsy. After treatment in the psychiatric hospital, Jorge …Read more

The petitioners were a group of persons living with HIV. They filed a writ of amparo against Venezuela’s Ministry of Health and Social Assistance (the Ministry). The Petitioners asked the Court to enjoin the Ministry to provide, free of charge: (1) the regular and periodic delivery of antiretroviral drugs and medication for opportunistic diseases; (2) …Read more

The plaintiff filed a claim arguing the constitutionality of article 16 of the law no.6982, which required retirees and pensioners who previously received health services from the Institute of Social Welfare to change their affiliation to the Institute of Medical Assistance IOMA (a health provider). The plaintiff claimed that this law violated articles 14, 17, 28, 33, …Read more

Martha Susana Schauman de Scaiola filed a suit against Dr. Juan Manuel Padrón and the Regional Hospital of Río Gallegos of the Government of the Province of Santa Cruz to hold them responsible for her son’s death, due to medical malpractice. She claimed liquidated damages due to her suffering caused from the death of her …Read more

French government issued a decree on 19 December 1996 which, according to article L.162-5-3 of the Social Security Code, requires doctors to pay back social security payment if they do not meet their expected health expenses. Doctors’ trade unions challenged this decree, on the ground that it creates a sanction towards doctors whereas they are …Read more

Through a representative, 418 parents, inhabitants of the sector of Puenta Aranda in Bogota, filed a tutela against the national and district health authorities alleging that the authorities’ failure to provide a free vaccination program against meningitis violated the duty to protect the health of their children. The Plaintiffs were poor, worked in the informal …Read more

The Medical Center “Segurola S.A” (“Centro Médico Segurola S.A”) filed a guarantee of protection of individual constitutional rights (amparo protection) against the National State, under article 43 of Argentina’s National Constitution and law 16.986. The plaintiff considered law 24.754 to be unconstitutional because in article 1 it established that the companies that provide prepaid medical …Read more

McGinley (M) and Egan (E) were servicemen who had been present on a Pacific island in 1958 when atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons had been carried out (five in M’s case and one in that of E). During the tests service personnel had been ordered to line-up in the open and to face away from …Read more