Public Health Law and Ethics

SLN #: 13474
Course Prefix: LAW-651
Course Section: 001
Credit Hours: 2
Instructor(s): Hodge Jr.
Course Books: View List of Books

Course Description:
The protection and preservation of the public’s health are quintessential goals of government. Equally critical is the need to respect individual rights and norms in American society. The classic conundrum of public health law and ethics is the extent to which government may restrain or impinge citizens’ interests, directly or indirectly, to promote the health and safety of the community. This course explores the inherent tensions between promoting the public’s health and protecting the legal and ethical rights and interests of individuals. Primary objectives are to: (1) better understand the structure and functions of the public health system; (2) define public health and public health law in theory and practice; (3) understand the roles of government, private sector entities, and individuals in assuring the conditions for people to be healthy; and (4) assess multifarious legal and ethical conflicts between governmental interests in public health and individual rights. These conflicts will be examined through critical facets of public health practice— e.g., health promotion and communication; public health powers such as immunization, testing, screening, quarantine, and isolation; public health emergencies; regulation of businesses and professions; and tort litigation. Of final note - while protecting the public’s health has global dimensions, this course focuses on public health law in the U.S.

Additional Information:
Credit Hours: 2
Grading Option: Numeric Grade or Letter Grade Only
Graduation Writing Requirement: No
Flexible/Upper-Level Writing Requirement: No
Skills Requirement: No
Simulation Course: No
Experiential Learning: No
Seminar: No
Prerequisite: None
Special Withdrawal Course: No
Final Exam Given: Yes
Final Exam Type: Take-Home
Participation Points: Yes
Attendance Policy: Per Statement Of Student Policies

* The law school has a policy that is used to calculate credit hours. Please see the Statement of Student Policies.