View this email .
American Dental Education Association

Volume 1, No. 97, February 9, 2021

ADEA Advocacy in Action

This appears weekly in the ADEA Advocate to summarize and provide direct links to recent advocacy actions taken by ADEA. Please let us know what you think and how we might improve its usefulness.

 

COVID Related Capital Needs

Jan 28 – Joint regarding HEERF grants

Jan 24 – ADEA regarding vaccines at the state level

 

Other COVID Issues

Jan 4 – ADEA regarding vaccine allocation

Jan 4 – ADEA regarding Provider Relief Fund

Jan 4 – Joint regarding COVID-19 policy changes

 

Additional Resources

ADEA on State Advocacy

NHSC Service Loan Repayment Program and application

For a full list of ADEA Letters and Policy Memos, click .
Johnson & Johnson Applies for EUA for COVID-19 Vaccine

 

Johnson & Johnson submitted its request for from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its coronavirus vaccine. If , the vaccine would be the third approved vaccine in the United States and it requires only one dose. The vaccine has a 72% efficacy rate in the United States and 57% percent efficacy rate in South Africa, which has the most contagious variant of the coronavirus. Though not as efficacious as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is 85% effective in preventing severe disease, providing the strongest protection against severe disease.

 

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine costs less than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and can be stored at refrigerator temperatures. Because of its easy of storage, costs and efficacy—especially against the South African variant—this vaccine offers the hope of getting more people vaccinated quickly. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is considered a strong candidate for an FDA EUA approval.
Now Available: Update to Summary of Legislation and Regulations Addressing Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse

 

Annually, ADEA staff conduct a review and compile a summary of all recently passed legislation and regulations intended to address prescription drug and opioid abuse. An update to the summary is now available online. provides a brief overview of state policies enacted in 2020 to help dental professionals stay up to date on recent changes to laws and regulations that affect opioid-prescribing practices while receiving the latest information on other changes to opioid policy that are relevant to academic dentistry.

 

To view recently proposed and enacted legislative and regulatory changes that would impact opioid policy, please visit the ADEA U.S. Interactive and select “Opioids” from the menu. Information on the ADEA interactive map is updated daily.

DOJ Withdraws Lawsuit Accusing Yale of Discrimination

 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) submitted a in its case against Yale University. The lawsuit, originally brought under the Trump administration, accused Yale of having stricter admission standards for white and Asian-American candidates, which would have been in violation of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The case stemmed from a 2016 complaint by the Asian-American Coalition for Education against Yale, Brown University and Dartmouth College.

 

The DOJ noted that it would continue monitoring Yale to ensure compliance with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

 

The withdrawal from the case signals a possible change in the Department’s approach to affirmative action cases under the Biden administration.
New York Senate Passes Bill to Require Cultural Awareness and Competency Training

 

On Feb. 2, the passed a bill that would require cultural awareness and competence continuing education training for medical professionals. The legislation applies to numerous health care professionals, including dentists, and would require such cultural awareness and competence course work or training to be two hours and encompass minority health care issues, such as ethnic, religious, linguistic, sexual orientation and gender identity health care issues and their impact on minority health care.

 

The bill will now be sent to the state Assembly for consideration.

Mississippi House Passes Bill to Increase Licensure Portability

 

On Feb. 3, the Mississippi House of Representatives voted to pass legislation that would increase licensure portability in the state. Similar to recently created laws in other states, the bill would require licensing boards to grant a license to numerous licensed professionals, including dentists and dental hygienists, who establish residency in the state and who have held licenses that are in good standing in another jurisdiction for at least one year. In addition to establishing residency, an applicant for licensure by reciprocity cannot have faced or be facing specified discipline or complaints. Current state law already extends this courtesy to members of the military, military spouses and their dependents. The bill will now go to the state Senate for consideration.

 

In recent years, similar bills have passed in , and , but unlike Arizona and Iowa, Missouri does not require an applicant to be a resident of the state.

The is published weekly. Its purpose is to keep ADEA members abreast of federal and state issues and events of interest to the academic dentistry and the dental and research communities.

 

©2021

American Dental Education Association

655 K Street, NW, Suite 800

Washington, DC 20001

202-289-7201,

twitter
Unsubscribe

B. Timothy Leeth, CPA

ADEA Chief Advocacy Officer

 

Bridgette DeHart, J.D.

ADEA Director of Federal Relations and Advocacy

 

Phillip Mauller, M.P.S.

ADEA Director of State Relations and Advocacy

 

Brian Robinson

ADEA Program Manager for Advocacy and Government Relations

 

Higher Logic