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Valerie Gutmann Koch

@vgkoch.bsky.social
2K followers 752 following 86 posts

Medical ethics and law. Law prof at DePaul University College of Law and Faculty Director of the Jaharis Health Law Institute. Director of Law & Ethics at the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, the University of Chicago.

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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
My newest article, Disinformed Consent, is now posted on SSRN. In it, I grapple with the problem of state-mandated medical disinformation – false medical claims disseminated with awareness of their inaccuracy or with deliberate disregard for scientific consensus. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com
Disinformed Consent
At both the state and federal level, lawmakers and regulators are increasingly interfering with the physician’s independent duty to provide patients w
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
chronicle.com
Sally Hemings’s Oldest Descendant Gave the Smithsonian Her DNA. She Says It Lost Her Trust.
On the eve of a new book that promises to settle the debate about Thomas Jefferson, a Hemings relative is raising alarms that its science hasn’t been vetted.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Come work at DePaul! The Jaharis Health Law Institute is accepting applications for a Faculty Fellow in Health Law and IP/IT. The position is a great one, and our past fellows have moved on to amazing positions at law schools across the country. apply.interfolio.com/188840
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2026/09/04/i... He was a mentor, advisor, and friend to so many of us.
petrieflom.law.harvard.edu
In Memoriam: Peter Barton Hutt - Petrie-Flom Center
I am sad to report the passing of Peter Barton Hutt at 91. Peter was the "dean" of the food and drug law bar, a longtime partner at Covington, arguably FDA's most important chief counsel in the modern...
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Orin Kerr @orinkerr.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
It will be interesting to see how Chatrie alters judicial approaches to “abandoned DNA.” If you’re not voluntarily disclosing records when you use a phone and tell things to Google, are you voluntarily abandoning DNA when you sit down on a chair or toss a cigarette butt?
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/s...
nytimes.com
The Researcher Who Didn’t Want to Know
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Out today! www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
cambridge.org
Physician Liability for Genetic Risk-Based Prescription Decisions | American Journal of Law & Medicine | Cambridge Core
Physician Liability for Genetic Risk-Based Prescription Decisions - Volume 52 Issue 1
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Reposted by Valerie Gutmann Koch
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 29/05/2026
The families of two Black infants who were unknowingly enrolled as test subjects in a mid-1960s vaccine trial for a respiratory virus and died shortly afterward have sued the U.S. government.
nyti.ms
Suit Says Black Infants Were Subjected to Experimental Vaccine Without Consent
The babies were part of a vaccine trial for a respiratory virus in the 1960s and died shortly after. Their families said they had been unaware of the trial until recently.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
They Started I.V.F., Then Split. Now Who Gets Custody of the Embryos? www.nytimes.com/2026/05/24/u...
nytimes.com
They Started I.V.F., Then Split. Now Who Gets Custody of the Embryos?
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geneticsandsociety.bsky.social @geneticsandsociety.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Genetic testing can identify the mutation, but prompts difficult decisions about whether to undergo a preventive stomach removal surgery and its complications.
theatlantic.com
The Family That Decided to Have Their Stomachs Removed - The Atlantic
Māori families with a mutation for aggressive gastric cancer have had their stomachs preemptively removed. How do you live without one?
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DePaul Law @depaullaw.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
DePaul Law’s top-ranked Health Law Program trains students to tackle today’s legal, ethical and policy challenges in health care. Now under the leadership of Professor Valerie Koch, the Jaharis Health Law Institute continues its impact. ow.ly/2npu50XjeMl
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
So thrilled to host you! What an illuminating day.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Society of Critical Care Medicine Guidelines for the Allocation of Critical Care Resources to Adults During Crisis-Level Shortages journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/f...
journals.lww.com
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Henrietta Lacks’s Family Settles Suit With Novartis Over Use of Her Cells www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/u...
nytimes.com
Henrietta Lacks’s Family Settles Suit With Novartis Over Use of Her Cells
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UW-Madison Medical History & Bioethics @mhbuwmad.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
🏆 Congratulations to Gretchen Schwarze, MD, MPP, FACS — recipient of the 2026 MacLean Center Prize in Clinical Ethics and Health Outcomes! Dr. Schwarze's "Best Case/Worst Case" communication tool has transformed preoperative conversations for patients across the US and beyond. #Bioethics
Headshot of Dr. Gretchen Schwarze, a woman with shoulder-length brown hair and bangs, wearing tortoiseshell glasses, small teal earrings, a delicate necklace, and a black blazer, smiling warmly against a neutral gray background.
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DePaul Law @depaullaw.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
The 2026 Jaharis Health Law Symposium, “Wired Minds, Legal Lines,” is almost here! Explore how neurotech is moving into everyday life, and the legal and ethical questions it raises. Free CLE | March 12 | In-person and online: 2026JHLI.eventbrite.com
2026jhli.eventbrite.com
2026 Annual Jaharis Health Law Symposium
Annual symposium hosted by the Mary and Michael Jaharis Health Law Institute—Wired Minds, Legal Lines: Governing Neurotechnology
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
nytimes.com
Genetic Data From Over 20,000 U.S. Children Misused for ‘Race Science’
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DePaul Law @depaullaw.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Join us for the 2026 Jaharis Health Law Symposium! "Wired Minds, Legal Lines" will explore data privacy, neurorights and innovation in neurotech. Free CLE | March 12 | In person and online: 2026JHLI.eventbrite.com
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Timothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
As more patients order lab tests online, doctors don’t know what to do with the results www.statnews.com/2026/01/09/p... via @statnews.com by @ravindranize.bsky.social Good evidence DTC testing – beyond anecdotes – leads to health benefits? Nah. Harm: > anxiety > over-diagnosis > costs etc etc etc
statnews.com
As more patients order lab tests online, doctors don't know what to do with the results
Hoping to catch serious illnesses early, more Americans are ordering lab tests online, but their doctors don't know what to do with the results.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/12/i...
blockclubchicago.org
Illinois Legalizes Physician-Assisted Suicide For Terminally Ill Patients
The law, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday, allows eligible adults with a terminal illness to obtain life-ending medication under strict safeguards beginning in 2026 after years of advocacy.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
dph.illinois.gov/resource-cen...
dph.illinois.gov
IDPH Statement on ACIP Action Regarding Hepatitis B Vaccine
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DePaul Law @depaullaw.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Save the date! 2026 Jaharis Health Law Symposium: “Wired Minds, Legal Lines: Governing Neurotechnology.” Explore privacy, consent and innovation in the age of neurotech with experts, including Minnesota Law’s Francis X. Shen. Mar 12 | In-person & Online: 2026JHLI.eventbrite.com
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Proud that my article, The Opioid Crisis Meets Genomics, is now published in the Seton Hall Law Review. Thanks to everyone who provided thoughtful commentary and insights! papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com
The Opioid Crisis Meets Genomics
<p>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent approval of the first polygenic risk score test has been met with powerful criticism. The test, AvertD, was ap
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Another year of uplifting bioethics and law news at our annual Legal Updates panel. #asbh25 @thaddeuspope.bsky.social @aderse.bsky.social Katie Watson
Photo of 4 panelists
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DePaul Law @depaullaw.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
This year marks an exciting new chapter for DePaul Law. Under the leadership of Dean Geoffrey Rapp, we continue to advance academic excellence, innovation and public engagement. We invite you to read about all of our 2024-2025 achievements here: ow.ly/QQNa50Xb8LA
ow.ly
2024-2025 DePaul Law Faculty Achievements
Flipsnack is a digital catalog maker that makes it easy to create, publish and share html5 flipbooks. Upload a PDF or design from scratch flyers, magazines, books and more.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
Patients shouldn’t be pressured to ‘just check that box’ on informed consent forms www.statnews.com/2025/10/08/i... via @statnews.com
statnews.com
Patients shouldn’t be pressured to ‘just check that box’ on informed consent forms
Doctors should actually discuss informed-consent paperwork with their patients.
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Reposted by Valerie Gutmann Koch
STAT @statnews.com · 06/10/2025
The CDC has accepted advisers' recommendations on Covid vaccinations, though there may still be uncertainty in some states about whether a prescription is needed to access them. www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/c...
statnews.com
CDC approves updated Covid-19, chickenpox vaccine recommendations
The CDC has accepted advisers' recommendations on Covid vaccinations, though there may still be uncertainty in some states about whether a prescription is needed to access them.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
www.medtechdive.com/news/FDA-res...
medtechdive.com
FDA rescinds LDT final rule
Regulation of lab developed tests returns to its status before the agency attempted to expand its jurisdiction and industry groups sued to stop it.
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Thiago Carvalho @cyrilpedia.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
'According to a recent lawsuit, 23andMe failed to notify consumers with Chinese and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage that their personal genetic information appeared to have been compiled into “specially curated lists” that were shared and sold on the dark web.'
science.org
The precarious future of consumer genetic privacy
Congress and other lawmakers must act to robustly protect direct-to-consumer genetic data and biospecimens into the future
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STAT @statnews.com · 05/09/2025
Can anyone get a Covid shot if they want one? The answer, in short, is no. www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/c...
statnews.com
Can anyone get a Covid shot if they want one? No
Can anyone get a Covid shot if they want one? It's not that simple.
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Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics @bermaninstitute.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Blood taken from Danish babies ended up in huge genetic study—without consent: The iPsych project, which investigates the genetics of psychiatric disorders, has sent 140,000 opt-out notices amid backlash | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Blood taken from Danish babies ended up in huge genetic study—without consent
The iPsych project, which investigates the genetics of psychiatric disorders, has sent 140,000 opt-out notices amid backlash
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Reposted by Valerie Gutmann Koch
STAT @statnews.com · 05/06/2025
The NIH archives of the Human Genome Project could fall victim to Trump administration cuts, writes a former archivist. buff.ly/H1WkRpn
buff.ly
Do you remember the Human Genome Project? I’m not sure the Trump administration wants you to
The NIH archives of the Human Genome Project could fall victim to Trump administration cuts, writes a former archivist.
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WIRED @wired.com · 29/05/2025
At the start of the year, WIRED made a commitment to stop paywalling articles primarily based on public records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act @freedom.press. This includes this critical piece here. The US Is storing migrant children’s DNA in a criminal database:
wired.com
The US Is Storing Migrant Children’s DNA in a Criminal Database
Customs and Border Protection has swabbed the DNA of migrant children as young as 4, whose genetic data is uploaded to an FBI-run database that can track them if they commit crimes in the future.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
www.404media.co/23andme-sale...
404media.co
23andMe Sale Shows Your Genetic Data Is Worth $17
23andMe sold the genetic data of 15 million people for $256 million to a pharmaceutical company called Regeneron.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
nejm.org
Judicial Invalidation of the FDA’s Laboratory-Developed Test Rule — Legal and Public Health Consequences | NEJM
Recently, a federal judge struck down an FDA rule on laboratory-developed tests. If this invalidation stands, it will have consequences for clinical care and the FDA’s authority over medical devices.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2025/04/28/t...
petrieflom.law.harvard.edu
The 23andMe Bankruptcy: Uncertainty, Caution, and a Call to Action (Part 1) - Petrie-Flom Center
Even with so many major headlines competing for attention last month, it was hard to miss the news that 23andMe had filed for bankruptcy.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
www.nuffieldbioethics.org/news-blog/nu...
nuffieldbioethics.org
Nuffield Council on Bioethics raises ethical concerns about the use of polygenic indices as predictors in education - Nuffield Council on Bioethics
A new report from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (NCOB) urges caution over the use of polygenic indices (PGI) data to inform educational policy and practice. We suggest next steps for policymakers ...
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
nbcnews.com
HHS eliminates advisory committee on newborn screening ahead of vote on rare disorders
The committee’s central role was to recommend which conditions should be included on a universal screening panel for infants.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
www.genomeweb.com/policy-legis...
genomeweb.com
Genetics Community Raises Alarms As GeneReviews Faces Federal Scrutiny
ACMG, NSGC, and others in the genetics community are monitoring whether the widely used online clinical genetics database could be at risk.
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SLU Law Center for Health Law Studies @sluhealthlaw.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Happy Friday #HealthLaw friends! The deadline for abstract submissions for the 2025 @slulaw.bsky.social & ASLME Health Law Scholars Workshop is MONDAY, APRIL 14th. Your taxes can wait; this can't! More info about the workshop & the submission process here: www.slu.edu/law/health/s...
slu.edu
Health Law Scholars Workshop
New faculty in the fields of health law and bioethics are invited to present scholarship for review in this collegial forum.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
www.statnews.com/2025/04/03/h...
statnews.com
Federal advisory panel on ethical, legal issues in human health research disbanded
A committee of experts that advises HHS on emerging ethical and legal issues in human health research has been disbanded, according to an email obtained by STAT.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
I’ve got some news! This summer, I’ll be heading to @depaullaw.bsky.social as an associate professor and the faculty director of @jaharishli.bsky.social! I couldn’t be more excited to rejoin the Chicago health law community!
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
theconversation.com/23andme-is-p...
theconversation.com
23andMe is potentially selling more than just genetic data – the personal survey info it collected is just as much a privacy problem
If you were a 23andMe customer, your genetic and personal information could be used in civil or criminal cases, targeted advertising, medical discrimination and so much more.
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Elizabeth Joh @elizabethjoh.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
Oh man, fellow Gen Xrs—RIP www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/m...
nytimes.com
Val Kilmer, Film Star Who Played Batman and Jim Morrison, Dies at 65
A wide-ranging leading man who earned critical praise, he was known to be charismatic but unpredictable. At one point he dropped out of Hollywood for a decade.
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Valerie Gutmann Koch @vgkoch.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
This is an incredible opportunity! If you can, submit!
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STAT @statnews.com · 01/04/2025
Vence Bonham, who became acting director of the National Human Genome Research Institute less than two weeks ago, is "unexpectedly" placed on leave. www.statnews.com/2025/03/31/t...
statnews.com
Vence Bonham, acting chief of National Human Genome Research Institute, 'unexpectedly' put on leave
Vence Bonham, who became acting director of the National Human Genome Research Institute less than two weeks ago, is "unexpectedly" placed on leave.
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Hank Greely @hankgreely.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
@23andme.bsky.social put out a press release today, saying "Any buyer will be required to comply w/our privacy policy" & "Our privacy policy will remain in place. Any buyer of 23andMe will be required to agree to comply w/our privacy policy..." I don't think they can promise that in bankruptcy.
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STAT @statnews.com · 01/04/2025
A federal judge in Texas squashed the Food and Drug Administration’s plan to regulate lab-developed tests
buff.ly
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.
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