Forensic and legal medicine in Chile: Cinderella without a prince.

Forensic medicine is of enormous importance in the functioning of contemporary justice systems worldwide. Therefore, in order to characterize the current state of medicolegal and forensic activity in Chile, a non-systematic review of the biomedical and legal literature on the subject was carried out. An analysis of open sources of information was also incorporated, including the National Registry of Individual Health Care Providers, the latest public accounts of the Forensic Medical Service, relevant background information available on the active transparency portal of that institution, exempt resolutions included in the "Chile Law" database (of the Department of Legislative and Documentary Services of the Library of the National Congress) and the lists of judicial experts appointed by the Courts of Appeals of the country for the biennium 2024 to 2025.

[Medicolegal considerations about rape as a reason to decriminalize abortion].

The Chilean senate is discussing a proposal to decriminalize abortion in 3 causals. One of these is when the pregnancy occurs as a result of a rape. To be legally able to perform the abortion in this circumstance, a health care team must confirm the occurrence of the facts constituting the offence.

[Alcohol zero tolerance law in Chile: strengths, flaws and shortcomings that should not be overlooked].

Chile has recently entered into force Act No. 20.580, which modifies the legal limits of blood alcohol concentration in drivers and increases the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or psychotropic substances.

Factors associated with variability in length of sick leave because of acute low back pain in Chile.

Background Context: Acute low back pain (LBP) is a frequent cause of physician visits and sick leave. Patients with longer sick leave account for most costs associated with LBP. Most research on risk factors for prolonged sick leave because of LBP has been done in Anglo-Saxon or Northern European populations with occupational LBP.

Prevalence of alcohol and illicit drugs in blood specimens from drivers involved in traffic law offenses. Systematic review of cross-sectional studies.

Objective: To determine which is the reported prevalence of alcohol and illicit drugs in blood specimens from drivers involved in traffic law offenses worldwide.

Methods: The search was performed by using several international biomedical databases. In order to reduce publication bias, additional publications were identified using further sources of information.