“Unrepresented” veterans — those lacking both the capacity to make medical decisions on their own and surrogates to act on their behalf — face difficulty transitioning from VA hospitals to post-acute care facilities, such as nursing homes or assisted living, due to their inability to provide consent.
The Petrie Flom Center recently welcomed Dov Fox, Professor of Law and the Director of the Center for Health Law Policy and Bioethics at the University of San Diego School of Law, to discuss his new book.
On Aug. 7, 2025, with Advisory Opinion OC-31/25, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights took a decisive step by becoming the first international court to recognize the human right to care as an autonomous right.
The case for a new international human rights treaty for older persons is clear. In much of the world, older persons represent ever-larger shares of the population. The World Health Organization estimates the number of people aged over 60 will double by 2050.
This virtual event will discuss a forthcoming international treaty on the rights of older persons and how it could build on lessons from the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. On April 3, 2025, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council adopted a resolution jumpstarting the multilateral process for negotiating a new international treaty on the rights…
“People around the world are living longer, including our elected officials and judges,” remarked Petrie-Flom Center Executive Director Susannah Baruch as she opened the Center’s recent event, “How Old Is Too Old to Govern?”
Join the Petrie-Flom Center and a panel of experts for an in-person lunchtime discussion of the legal, scientific, medical, and ethical issues related to aging political and judicial leaders. Is the advanced age of many leaders cause for concern? Should we have maximum age limits for lawmakers and judges? What can neuroscience research tell us about…
The Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School is pleased to announce our 2025 annual conference: “Law, Health Care, and the Aging Brain and Body.” This year’s conference is organized by the Petrie-Flom Center in collaboration with Nina A. Kohn, the David M. Levy Professor of Law at Syracuse…
After the COVID-19 pandemic exposed systemic care failures in American nursing homes, the Biden Administration adopted a series of regulatory changes to enhance resident safety.
By Abeer Malik In an ideal world, everyone has a “safety net” — a reliable layer of support that catches us when life’s challenges become overwhelming. For many Americans, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been a crucial piece of that safety net, providing access to affordable health care, expanded coverage options, and support for…
