Economics, Policy, and Global Health

Catalog description

Imagine driving a car, blindfolded, with instructions from the backseat on what to do and they are rarely in agreement. How do you decide what to do, which instructions to rely on? Policy making in a fast-moving epidemic (such as the COVID-19) can often look like this. This course will help students understand: Where does data for policy come from? How is data on epidemics generated and synthesized? Why does data become controversial … what is the 'truth'? Responding to data – differences between clinical settings and population settings. How does data inform policy – or more precisely, why does it not inform policy. How can future leaders do better? Consent required.