Public Health Law

Catalog description

Health law survey courses commonly focus on the delivery of health care to improve well-being. But the institutions that finance and deliver medical care are only a few of many drivers that determine the health outcomes of a population. This course looks beyond medical care to consider other institutions, and other bodies of law, that affect health outcomes. Using examples of both infectious and chronic disease, we will examine how laws mitigate or exacerbate poor health, including federal and state statutes, administrative regulations, criminal statutes, and reliance on industry or professional self-regulation. We will also use a set of case studies in public health problems to consider how law could contribute to solutions.