Health Law Seminar: Public Health Law and Ethics
Certificate(s): Public Interest and Social Justice Law (List B)
Course Description:
This unique seminar gives students a chance to explore with faculty contemporary, cutting-edge issues in health care law. Course may require a paper, an exam, or both. Check the current semester schedule for current topics and course descriptions.
Class Notes:
This course explores the roles that the law and legal institutions play in public health. It examines key legal concepts underlying public health agencies’ duties and powers, as well as the legal and ethical underpinnings for public health law and regulation. The course will touch on many areas of law that have implications for public health policy and practice, including criminal law, tort law, administrative law, and constitutional law. Throughout the course, students will learn about public health issues faced by different populations (such as racial/ethnic minority, LGBTQ, immigrant, and rural populations) and explore how laws and policies contribute to population-level health disparities. By spotlighting recent and historical examples of public health law in action, including COVID-19, sexual and reproductive health, opioids, tobacco, obesity, and the environment, this course will be valuable for students interested in health law and equity, as well as students seeking to deepen their expertise in public policy.
