Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Departments of Justice, Education and Health and Human Services Issue Letter to Health-Related Schools Regarding Hepatitis B Discrimination

AASLD News: July 11, 2013

Departments of Justice, Education and Health and Human Services Issue Letter to Health-Related Schools Regarding Hepatitis B Discrimination 

The Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services have written a letter to health-related schools as a reminder that basing enrollment decisions on whether or not applicants have hepatitis B goes against the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Departments are under the impression that some health-related schools may be basing their admission decisions on an incorrect understanding of hepatitis B. The CDC states that since 1991, when the CDC last updated the recommendations for managing students with hepatitis B, there have been no reports of hepatitis B transmission in the US or other developed nations from medical and dental students to patients. 

 

The Departments say they will continue to enforce titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in order to protect the rights of applicants with disabilities, including those with hepatitis B. The letter highly recommends that schools review CDC's recommendations to ensure their policies comply with federal nondiscrimination laws.

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