EDUCATION: Florida House Bill 725 Introduces New Requirements for Administering IV Hydration Therapy under the Stephanie Balais Act

After the unfortunate death of a young, aspiring nursing student in South Florida (Ms.Stephanie Balais) Florida Representatives filed House Bill 725. It is cited as the “Stephanie Balais Act”. In the products liability case of Stephanie Balais it is noted that her untimely passing was due to a Selenium treatment she received in 2018. It is unclear whether the fault lie with the manufacturer and the batch of products; the individual administering the product; or the lack of established procedures in the event of an emergency.  Liability was never determined in this case, and the case was settled out of court. However, this case prompted the introduction of House Bill 725. The Act defines Intravenous Hydration Therapy as “a procedure in which high concentrations of vitamins and minerals are administered directly into the person's bloodstream, allowing rapid absorption of higher doses of the vitamins and minerals than if received through food or supplements”. The purpose of the Act is to ensure the safety of patients considering IV Hydration treatments. Due to the rise in popularity and frequency of these treatments, it has become necessary to create safety guidelines to eliminate or at the very least minimize risks for the healthcare and wellness community. This is why any written emergency plan must at a minimum include: (1) the name and address of the hospital closest to the location where the IV Hydration Treatment is being performed; (2) reasons why an emergency transfer may be obligatory; and (3) the medical services that must be utilized in the event of a medical emergency. Additionally, if a health care provider, upon review of the completed self-screening risk assessment questionnaire determines that a patient can’t safely receive an IV Hydration Treatment the provider must decline administering the treatment to that individual. Web: www.JonesHealthLaw.com Phone: (305)877-5054 Instagram: @JonesHealthLaw Facebook: @JonesHealthLaw Youtube: @JonesHealthLaw