Education:

• • J.D.: Harvard • M.D.: Columbia • Ph.D.: University of Chicago • B.S.: Massachusetts Institute of Technology •

Short Bio:

• Professor Liang has an interdisciplinary interest in health law and policy reflected by his study of health care from a broad array of perspectives. He graduated from MIT with a bachelor's degree in chemistry, studying organic synthesis of complex natural products, and then received a Ph.D. in health policy from the University of Chicago, studying access and quality issues in Medicaid managed care programs in the United States. He also studied medicine and medical care at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, assessing physician services financing systems and inner city hospital reimbursement structures, and received an M.D. degree from that institution. During this time, he was also invited to the Republic of China, where he was a consultant to the National Health Insurance Special Task Force and developed a global research strategy for the integration of existing beneficiary populations into the NHI Program. Professor Liang also performed empirical economic analyses of the medical malpractice system, assessing critical assumptions of rule knowledge by and deterrence effects on physicians in several different specialties while at Harvard Law School, where he was the Sheldon Seevak Law & Economics Research Fellow and received his law degree. Before coming to San Diego, Professor Liang held two distinguished professorships and served as a Research Council Faculty Fellow in Europe, assisting policymakers in the European Union address issues associated with managed care and complementary social insurance.

Selected Publications (from over 300):

• Lovett KM, Liang BA. Risks of Online Advertisement of Direct-to-Consumer Thermography for Breast Cancer Screening. Nature Reviews Cancer. 2011; 11(12): 827-828 doi:10.1038/nrc3170.
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• Liang BA, Mackey T. Quality and Safety in Health Care: What Does What the Future Hold? Arch Path Lab Med. 2011;135:1425-1431.


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  Mackey T, Liang BA. The Global Counterfeit Drug Trade: Patient Safety and Public Health Risks. J Pharm Sci. 2011;100(11):4571-4579.
  
  
• Liang BA, Mackey T. Prevalence and Global Health Implications of Social Media in Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising. J Med Internet Res. 2011;13(3):e64 doi:10.2196/jmir.1775.

  
  
• Liang BA, Boyd M. PTSD in Returning Wounded Warriors: Ensuring Medically Appropriate Evaluation and Legal Representation Through Legislative Reform. Stanford Law Pol’y Rev. 2011;22(1):177-215.
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  Lovett K, Liang BA. DTC cardiac screening and suspect risk evaluation. JAMA. 2011; 305(24): 2567-2568.


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  Liang BA, Mackey T. Reforming Direct-to-Consumer Advertising. Nature Biotech. 2011; 29(5):397-400.
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• Liang BA, Mackey T. Direct to Consumer Advertising with Interactive Internet Media: Global Regulation and Public Health Issues. JAMA. 2011; 305(8):824-825.

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  Liang BA, Mackey T. Addressing Institutional Conflict of Interest to Promote Patient Safety. Pat Safety Qual Healthcare. 2010;7(6):36-39.


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  Liang BA. School-Sponsored Health Insurance: Planning for a New Reality. Planning Higher Ed. 2010;39(2):60-63.

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• Liang BA, Mackey T. Confronting Conflict: Addressing Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Academic Medical Centers. Am J Law Med. 2010;36(1):136-187.


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  Liang BA. Crisis on Campus: Student Access to Health Care. Univ Mich J Law Ref. 2010; 44(3):617-662.

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• Liang BA, Mackey T. Reforming Off-Label Promotion to Enhance Orphan Disease Treatment. Science. 2010; 327(5963):273-274.

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  Liang BA, Seki F. Protecting the Elderly: Policy Lessons from an Analysis of the United States and Japan. Yokohama Law Rev. 2009;18(2):1-37.

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• Liang BA, Mackey T. Searching for Safety: Addressing Search Engine, Web site, and Provider Accountability for Illicit Online Drug Sales. Am J Law Med. 2009;35(1):125-184.

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  Balcius J, Liang BA. Public Health Law & Military Medical Assets: Legal Issues in Federalizing National Guard Personnel. Ann Health Law. 2009;18:35-73.


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  Liang BA. Pigs, Drugs, and Terrorists. Patient Saf Qual Healthcare. 2008;5(6):10-12.


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  Liang BA, Lew R, Zivin J. A Review of Tissue Plasminogen Activator, Ischemic Stroke, and Potential Legal Issues. Arch Neurol. 2008;65(11):1429-1433

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  Riley W, Liang BA, Rutherford W, Hamman W. Structure and Features of a Care Enhancement Model Implementing the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act. In: Kerm Henriksen, James B. Battles, Margaret A. Keyes, Mary L. Grady, eds., Advances in Patient Safety: New Directions and Alternative Approaches, Vol. I: Assessment. Washington, D.C.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2008; 59-70.


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  Liang BA. A Dose of Reality: Promoting Access to Pharmaceuticals. Wake Forest Intell Prop Law J. 2008; 8(3):301-386.

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  Liang BA, Zivin J. Empirical Characteristics of Stroke and Tissue Plasminogen Activator Litigation. Ann Emerg Med. 2008;52:160-164.

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  Riley W, Liang BA, Hamman W, Rutherford W. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005: Developing an Error Reporting System to Improve Patient Safety. J Patient Saf. 2008;4(1):13-17.
• Hanrahan CP, Liang BA. Promoting Public Health and Provider Response to Emergencies and Disasters. Univ Penn J Law Social Change. 2008;11:29-73.


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  Liang BA. Regulating Follow-on Biologics. Harv J Legis. 2007;44:363-471.


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  Liang BA. Addressing Limited English Proficiency: A Call for Action to Promote Patient Safety. J Patient Saf. 2007;3(1):3-5 (corrected version published at J Patient Saf. 2007;3(2):57-59).


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  Lin L, Liang BA. Addressing the Nursing Work Environment to Promote Patient Safety. Nurs Forum. 2007;42(1):20-30.
  


• Liang BA, Riley W, Hamman W, Rutherford W. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005: Provisions and Potential. Am J Med Qual. 2007;22(1):8-12.


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  Liang BA. Parallel Trade in Pharmaceuticals: Injecting the Counterfeit Element into the Public’s Health. NC J Intl Law Comm Reg. 2006;31(4):847-899.


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  Liang BA. Elder Abuse Detection in Nursing Facilities: Using Paid Clinical Competence to Address the Nation’s Shame. J Health Law. 2006;39(4):527-550.


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  Liang BA. Structurally Sophisticated or Lamentably Limited? Mechanisms to Ensure Safety of the Medicine Supply. Alb Law J Sci Tech. 2006;16(3):483-524.


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  Liang BA, Boudreaux AM. Lethal Injection: Policy Considerations for Medicine. J Clin Anes. 2006;18(6):466-470.


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  Liang BA. Fade to Black: Importation and Counterfeit Drugs. Am J Law Med. 2006;32:279-323.


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  Schuyler D, Liang BA. Reconceptualizing Elder Abuse: Treating the Disease of Senior Community Exclusion. Ann Health Law. 2006;15(2):275-305.


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  Luu AD, Liang BA. Clinical Case Management: A Strategy to Coordinate Detection, Reporting, and Prosecution of Elder Abuse. Cornell J Law Pub Pol’y. 2005;15(1):165-196.


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  Lin L, Liang BA. Reforming Residency: Modernizing Resident Education and Training to Promote Quality and Safety In Health Care. J Health Law. 2005;38(2):203-246.


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  Liang BA, Weinger MB, Suydam S. Learning from Others: Legal Aspects of Sharing Patient Safety Data Using Provider Consortiums. J Patient Saf. 2005;1(2):83-89.


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  Smith L, Liang BA. Childhood Obesity: A Public Health Problem Requiring a Policy Solution. J Med Law. 2005;9(1):37-54.
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  Liang BA. A Policy of System Safety: Shifting the Medical and Legal Paradigms to Effectively Address Error in Medicine. Harv Health Policy Rev. 2004;5(1):6-13.

Select Presentations and Testimony:

• Bryan A. Liang, The Global Drug Supply: Online Safety Challenges and FDA Shortage Drugs, Building the Evidence Base: How Safe is the Global Supply Chain?, Global Drug Safety Roundtable, Council on Foreign Relations, New York, NY, December 5, 2011
  
  

• M. Nielsen Hobbs, Michael Karmarck, Bryan A. Liang, and Marie A. Vodlicka, Biologics and Biosimilars: What Is the Science Telling Us? BIO International Convention: The Global Event for Biotechnology, Washington, DC, June 30, 2011
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  Bryan A. Liang, Congressional Briefing: Promoting Online Drug Safety: Addressing Illicit Drug Sales, U.S. Senate Center, Washington, DC, June 23, 2011
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Plenary Lecture: Ischemic Stroke and Financial Risks: Using tPA to Trace Potential Liability and Reimbursement Loss, Second Annual Latest Advances in Ischemic & Hemorrhagic Stroke Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Dallas, TX, May 21, 2011
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Patients, Safety, and Patient Safety Under Healthcare Reform, Grand Rounds, University of Texas Health Science Center, Tyler, TX, January 21, 2011
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Nancy Kennedy, Rob Hill, Charlie Cichon, and Jeffrey Gren, Who’s Benefiting From Counterfeit Drugs? Partnership for Safe Medicines Interchange 2010, National Press Club, Washington, DC, October 8, 2010
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Fibrinolysis and Legal Mythology: The Demographics of tPA-Stroke Litigation, International Society of Fibrinolysis and Proteolysis, 20th Annual Congress, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, August 27, 2010
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, DMHC and CDI Rescission Settlements: Terms, Implementation, and Assessment, Testimony Before the Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee, Sacramento, CA, March 10, 2010
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Saeed Hashimi, Sharon Flank, Anti-Counterfeiting: Can Chemistry Overcome Bureaucracy? International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers, Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, November 10, 2009
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Pain Medicine, Therapeutic Vigilance, and the Risks of Substandard Drugs: A Policy Analysis, Canadian Pain Society Annual Conference, Québec City, Canada, May 29, 2009
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Facing the Future: Addressing Market Pressures to Promote Health Care Delivery, Southern California Permanent Medical Group, Kaiser-Permanente Regional Conference, Beverly Hills, CA, November 18, 2008
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, In Situ Simulation: Identifying Communications and Systems Issues in High Intensity Clinical Settings, European Association of Communication in Healthcare, Oslo, Norway, September 3, 2008
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Declaratory Legislation and AB1324: The Role and Use in Health Insurance, Testimony before the California Senate Judiciary Committee, Sacramento, CA, July 10, 2007
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Conflicts in Care: Legal, Personal, and Political Issues in Public Care Programs, Hemophilia Alliance Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, January 31, 2007
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Limited English and Health Proficiency: Sobering Stats and Sensible Solutions? Advisory Committee on Minority Health, Office of Minority Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, January 22, 2007
  
  

• Bryan A. Liang, Death by Drugs: International Weaknesses in Counterfeit Detection, Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation 2005 Symposium, Network on Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science, Anti-Counterfeiting Drug and Rational Drug Use, Taipei, Taiwan, November 14, 2005
  
  

• Oliver Yoa-Pu Hu, Bryan A. Liang, Li-Ling Liu, Donald K. Shruhan, Jr., Panel Discussion: APEC Cooperation on Anti-Counterfeiting Efforts in Pharmaceuticals, Asian Pacific Economic Community 2005 Symposium, Network on Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science Anti-Counterfeiting Drug and Rational Drug Use, Taipei, Taiwan, November 14, 2005.
  

Selected Media Activities:

• US News & World Report – December 5, 2011
  The provisions of the healthcare reform laws continue to come into operation, particularly preventive care insurance mandates. Yet many Americans have not taken advantage of this critical health focus. US News & World Report interviewed Professor Bryan Liang on these issues. He noted that “Many people wait until there’s blood on the carpet” before accessing care. Yet in fact, “preventive care is the most cost-effective and efficient way to promote health as well as reduce costs.” He added that now with a broad coverage of preventive care services, focusing on use and their low costs should be a priority in the health delivery system.
  
  

• FiercePharma Manufacturing – December 5, 2011
• The safety of the drug supply has become a leading policy issue, particularly in the light of drug shortages that include vaccines. FiercePharma Manufacturing featured an article by Professor Bryan Liang and Senior Research Associate Tim Mackey on suspect sources online selling these biologics. It noted that the Dr. Liang and Mr. Mackey’s work found that shortage vaccines as well as vaccine’s on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines were being offered online by Not Recommended National Association of Boards of Pharmacy online sellers. Some were also being offered without a prescription. Dr. Liang and Mr. Mackey called for tighter regulation and governance for websites selling vaccines.
  
  

• Palm Beach Post – December 4, 2011
  The Internet has emerged as a key patient safety threat for counterfeit and substandard drugs, with drugs being sold without a prescription and no professional oversight. The issue has grown to almost epidemic proportions, particularly in controlled substances and morphine derivatives. The Palm Beach Post interviewed Professor Bryan Liang on the topic. He noted that “the expansion of illicit online sales have reached almost epidemic proportions, and use of social media as well as search engines have fueled its growth.” He called for additional oversight and coordinated efforts to stem the illicit supply chain.
  
  

• HealthHIV & Partnership for Safe Medicines – November 29, 2011
  Vulnerable patient populations and the current economic climate have resulted in tremendous burdens on community clinic patients. Importantly, some have considered turning to alternative sources such as the Internet and night markets to procure their drugs. Professor Bryan Liang gave a webinar on the risks of counterfeit drugs and its impact upon these patients. “It is clear that pharmaceuticals are one of the most powerful arsenals for medicine in patient care,” said Dr. Liang. “However, the benefits of drugs only inure if they are legitimate. And sadly, in many cases for vulnerable patients, they are not.” He then provided concrete tools for patients and providers to use to guard against the counterfeit drug safety threat, and urged them to stay vigilant.
  
  

• Los Angeles Times – September 27, 2011
  The Conrad Murray manslaughter trial is set to begin, and defense attorneys have indicated they will argue that Michael Jackson killed himself through ingestion of drugs during a period when Dr. Murray was not there. The LA Times asked Professor Bryan Liang, both a lawyer and physician, to comment. He noted that blaming the victim was a risky strategy. “You are basically putting it all on red,” said Dr. Liang. “Ultimately, the jury may decide that the responsibility falls upon the person with medical knowledge, not the patient,” added Dr. Liang. “And that’s Dr. Murray.”
  
  

• Los Angeles Times – June 24, 2011
• California is unique amongst any state in the US, having dual oversight over healthcare service products through the California Department of Insurance and Department of Managed Health Care. The Los Angeles Times interviewed Professor Bryan Liang for his perspective. He noted that dual regulatory structures were highly inefficient, particularly as health care products are increasingly overlapping. Further, with CDI having an elected Commissioner accountable directly to citizens, increased regulatory oversight, greater tools, and demonstrable outcomes inuring directly to citizens, a merger of DMHC into CDI would be a preferred policy position.
  
  
• Wall Street Journal – May 21, 2011
  With search engine Google being investigated by the DOJ for profiting off illicit online drug sellers, there has been a greater focus on how Google did not have knowledge of the lack of legitimacy of these sellers. The Wall Street Journal interviewed Professor Bryan Liang on the topic. He noted that there has been a long history of search engine profiting off illicit online sellers, particularly through purported third party “verifiers” who perform limited oversight and profit with search engines from these illicit sellers. Dr. Liang was the co-author of a large study that identified this limited oversight by both search engines and “verifiers”.
  
  Dr. Oz Show - May 10, 2011
  Recent data show that almost 5 million Botox procedures were performed last year. However, the exploding use of Botox and anti-wrinkle procedures has created patient safety concerns. Professor Bryan Liang appeared on the Dr. Oz Show to provide important information on Botox use. Dr. Liang first noted that botulinum toxin A, Botox’s active ingredient, is one of the most lethal substances known. Second, he noted that patients should not buy Botox over the Internet, as counterfeit versions are poor quality and different concentrations, and administering the drug requires significant precautions. Finally, he noted that patient should examine the Botox vial, ensuring it is new, has the company name Allergan on it with Botox on the label, has a hologram spelling out Allergan, and is not past its expiration date.
  
  
• Chronicle of Higher Education – February 10, 2011
  With the proposed regulations on school sponsored health insurance plans just released, the debate on how these planswill be treated under healthcare reform has become somewhat clearer. The Chronicle of Higher Education asked Professor Bryan Liang for his perspective. He noted that the proposed regulations appropriately treat these plans as individual plans on the basis of established federal law, and at least some students will obtain the benefits of the health reform law. However, he noted that the 30 month delay before the regulations would go into place, and an exemption for self-funded plans require that continued pressure and attention be paid to this issue.
  
  
• USA Today – September 13, 2010
  As the economy slows down and the Internet allows for unfettered medication purchases without a prescription, the fake drug market continues to grow. USA Today interviewed Professor Bryan Liang for his perspective. Dr. Liang noted that 50% or more of drugs purchased on the Internet are fake according to the World Health Organization, as are large fractions of drugs from other non-traditional sources such as night markets. He indicated that the explosion of the Internet and the introduction of Viagra fueled the counterfeit drug industry. It now represents upwards of $75-200 billion in sales annually, and extends from lifestyle drugs to life saving drugs. Dr. Liang warned that these developments represent a significant patient safety issue that physicians and patients must guard against, as they are the last barriers to harm.
  
  
• US News & World Report – September 9, 2010
  Several aspects of the new healthcare reform law are slated to go into effect as the school years starts. Yet healthcare reform may have left a large group outside its mandates: higher education students. US News & World Report interviewed Professor Bryan Liang on this issue. Professor Liang noted that students are often left out of health insurance mandates. Indeed, he indicates that although many students actually have health insurance, their coverage is rejected on campus. These previously insured individuals become functionally uninsured on campus, and have the same issues with access and prevention issues as well as high risk behavior as the typically uninsured. He called for attention to this major concern.

Selected Awards:

• St. Anthony Medical Center 35th Annual Memorial Lecture, St. Louis, MO, 2010

• Alpha Project for the Homeless, Community Recognition Award, 2010

• Mentorship Recognition Award, University of California, San Diego Office of Graduate Studies, 2008

• Outstanding Educator Award, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 2007

• Lucien P. Jassey Distinguished Lecture, Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, CA, 2006

• Alpha Project for the Homeless, Community Service Award, 2006
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