Health and Human Rights

This course will examine health and health care in the context of human rights. This course will be taught in seminar format with multiple guest lecturers who are experts in their fields. Students are expected to be active participants in discussion of the seminars and readings. Questions and issues that will be addressed in the course include but are not limited to: how do the frameworks of bioethics and human rights differ? Where do they overlap? If we have a right to health, does that include the right to health care or the right to receive medications? If so, what are some of the systematic obstacles to actually obtaining needed care? In addressing these issues we will examine some of the social determinants of health, including education, poverty, the social safety net, the treatment (or lack thereof) of minority groups and vulnerable populations, and the profit driven elements of much of our health care system. We will also explore health at the interface of global conflict, including such issues as torture. Students from all programs are welcome although priority for registration is given to MBE students.