LAW-2057 Biomedical Law & Public Policy
This course explores legal and ethical issues in medicine and health policy. It focuses on tensions between individual rights and the welfare of groups and populations, the conflicts of interest of key actors, and competing values. Topics include: informed consent, the right to refuse treatment, assisted death, regulation of research on human subjects, rationing/ allocation of medical care and human organs, confidentiality and public health surveillance, genetic screening, the relation between public health and medical care, social determinants of health, personal and social responsibility for health, prevention and health promotion. Students will be graded on two take-home written assignments, each of which count for half of the written grade. Student will also receive a participation grade that can increase or decrease the final grade by half a letter grade.