High vaccination rates have a social protection function in addition to individual prevention of infections and diseases. To reach herd immunity thresholds and to protect risk groups, the timeliness of immunization is an important goal for vaccination policy. There is currently no causal...

The EU approved the first biosimilar drug in 2006. By 2017, the EU had authorized the highest number of biosimilars worldwide, acquiring considerable experience in their use and safety. In May 2019, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) search engine showed 54 authorized biosimilars. Biosimilars...

We evaluate the impact of government mandated proof of vaccination requirements for access to public venues and non-essential businesses on COVID-19 vaccine uptake. We find that the announcement of a mandate is associated with a rapid and significant surge in new vaccinations (more than 60%...

Nonmedical exemptions from school-entry vaccine mandates are receiving increased policy and public health scrutiny. This paper examines how expanding the availability of exemptions influences vaccination rates in early childhood and academic achievement in middle school. We leverage 2003...

All US states have implemented Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), state-level databases that track patient prescription histories of controlled substances. The programs afford new information to doctors, who can use the databases to identify which of their patients are using opioids...

In response to growing abuse of prescription opioid painkillers, 50 U.S. states have implemented electronic prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) that record patients into a state-wide registry when a prescription opioid is received. This paper uses a difference-in-differences regression...

We investigate behavioral responses to a staggered disruption in the supply of prescription opioids across U.S. states: the introduction of electronic Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs). Using administrative datasets, we find PDMPs curtail the proliferation of prescription opioids....

We investigate behavioral responses to a staggered disruption in the supply of prescription opioids across U.S. states: the introduction of electronic Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs). Using administrative datasets, we find PDMPs curtail the proliferation of prescription opioids....

Falling vaccination rates, the re-emergence of previously eradicated diseases, and the COVID-19 pandemic have raised important questions regarding the degree to which parents can opt their children out of receiving required school vaccines. This paper provides novel evidence on how laws...

Nonmedical exemptions from school-entry vaccine mandates are receiving increased policy and public health scrutiny. This paper examines how expanding the availability of exemptions influences vaccination rates in early childhood and academic achievement in middle school. We leverage 2003...