International Public Health: Law and Policy

2-3 Credit Hours

Long the province of medical professionals, problems of international public health have been forced onto the political and legal agendas by a series of unsettling developments: the HIV/AIDS pandemic; SARS and other emerging infectious diseases; avian flu, which may cross from animals to humans; the anthrax episodes and concern over bioterrorism; the expanding effects of tobacco use and substance abuse; and many others. Other prominent issues involve the needs of developing countries: the role of health in development policy; affordable access to medicines; developing new drugs for diseases of the South; and the pervasive problem of financing. Public health is also a laboratory of international governance: significant innovations include public-private partnerships, a global financing organization, and a major role for private philanthropy. In this seminar we will consider several of these important issues and institutions through the lenses of international relations and international law. Students in the seminar will prepare final papers on particular problems, institutions or bodies of law, and will present their research in class. Hopefully, groups of students working in related areas can coordinate their research and presentations. Grading will be based on the final papers, the presentations, and general class participation. A limited number of students may be able to prepare 2- or 3-draft papers with permission.