Final answer:
Laws and agency regulations such as the ACA and FDA guidelines have substantial effects on medical practice by shaping healthcare delivery, patient care, and drug regulation. These effects can lead to both positive outcomes, like protection from unsafe medications, and negative consequences, such as delayed access to new treatments. Differences in laws across states and between state and federal levels also lead to disparities in treatment and legal outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enactment of laws like the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and regulations from agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) significantly affects medical practice. For instance, the ACA introduced comprehensive changes to healthcare systems in the U.S. that affected the entire society, impacting insurance coverage, patient care, and the operation of health institutions. The Interagency Policy targeting substance abuse during pregnancy is an example of how specific policies can directly influence patient care, particularly among certain demographics.
Laws are often created to address societal issues, and public laws like the ACA are designed to change how healthcare is delivered and financed. The lawmaking process involves considering a range of ideas and information to draft legislation that addresses the identified problems. However, once enacted, these laws may produce winners, such as patients protected from unsafe drugs due to the FDA's stringent regulations, and losers, such as those who suffer due to delays in drug availability caused by the same regulations.
The principle of nonmaleficence emphasizes that healthcare providers avoid causing unnecessary harm to patients, which may sometimes be at odds with regulatory processes or legal constraints like HIPAA that protect patient privacy. Additionally, disparities in state and federal laws, such as those relating to marijuana use, can result in uneven treatment across the country.