Policy Forum 

# Removing Barriers to Online Medical Care 

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Date and Time 

May 28, 2015 12 - 1:30 PM EDT 

Location 

Hayek Auditorium 

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##### Featuring 

Featuring **Rene Quashie**, Senior Counsel, Epstein, Becker & Green; and **Jeff Rowes**, Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice; with a response from **Josh Sharfstein**, Associate Dean, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; moderated by **Simon Lester**, Trade Policy Analyst, Cato Institute. 

In the United States and around the world, medical treatment has traditionally been segregated along state lines. Recently, new technology has made the provision of medical care online (telemedicine) a possibility, and consumers could benefit greatly from this development. However, state and national regulations often interfere with online medical care when it crosses borders. Can these regulations be adjusted to allow interstate and international trade? What policy concerns might arise in relation to online medical services that might require continued government involvement? Are there constitutional issues at stake? For example, do government restrictions on doctors offering medical advice online constitute an abridgement of free speech? Join us for a discussion of these issues.

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