Health Care and Human Rights

Catalog description

This course combines two areas of law of vital importance. Courts, legislatures, and administrative agencies around the world often grapple with health law questions in light of new medical technologies, public health crises, and enduring questions regarding treatment choices. At the same time, in a world that is both globalized and plagued by catastrophes such as ethnic cleansing and natural disasters, issues of human rights are at the forefront of public debate. The intersection of health care and human rights, therefore, constitutes a worthy and fascinating area of study. Topics to be covered will include: 1) an overview of relevant human rights doctrines; 2) the status of the right to health care in different countries; 3) biomedical research involving human subjects; 4) disability rights; 5) privacy and confidentiality issues in medicine; 6) organ transplantation; 7) medical aid in dying; 8) public health emergencies; 9) climate change; 10) gun rights and gun control.