Event Description When Chris Hansen, an ACLU lawyer, learned that the U.S. government was issuing patents for human genes to biotech companies, his first thought was: How can a corporation own what makes us who we are? Then he discovered that women were being charged exorbitant fees to test for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer—all…
Event Description Amid contention that global governance was unprepared and incapacitated in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this November, a special session of the World Health Assembly will convene to discuss a potential international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response. As part of the “International Pandemic Lawmaking: Conceptual and Practical Issues” symposium which published…
Event Description On October 13th we hosted a discussion of the updated edition of The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and Remembers with author and William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Psychology, Daniel Schacter. This updated edition revisits Professor Schacter’s groundbreaking research with the twenty-first century’s cultural trends and scientific discoveries. This…
Event Description The COVID-19 pandemic battered the Latin American region, and has exacted a disproportionate toll on the lives of persons with disabilities throughout Latin America, exacerbating inequalities and entrenching already pervasive patterns of marginalization. These effects were especially evident for institutionalized persons with disabilities throughout the region – who faced heightened risk of COVID-19…
Event Description On June 30, the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School announced a new research initiative, the Project on Psychedelics Law and Regulation (POPLAR). To mark POPLAR’s launch, the Petrie-Flom Center has invited experts from all aspects of the emerging psychedelics industry — including clinicians, researchers, patient…
Event Description What does health justice mean? How does health justice relate to other frameworks for advocacy, teaching, research, and scholarship? And how should the community be involved in efforts to realize health justice? Scholars, advocates, and activists will reflect on these questions for the Petrie-Flom Center’s latest digital symposium, which will run on Bill…
Event Description In December 2020, first trimester abortion was legalized in Argentina with the passage of Law 27.610. This historic move presents an inflection point for Argentine democracy, as well as a case study in how rights concepts can be deployed effectively to advance reproductive justice. In this event, key actors in the long struggle…
Event Description On May 18th, we hosted a discussion with government officials on plans to restore US leadership for global health. Governments around the world failed to contain COVID-19, with more than 3.2 million deaths and counting. Even before the pandemic, the United States was questioning its commitments to global health, its leadership role, and…
Event Description COVID and other dynamic forces are upending traditional ways of caring for people with serious and advanced illness. People want care in their home and community, not isolated in institutions. Technology, such as telehealth, has potential to accelerate community care, but will the digital divide impede access? On April 29, we hosted three…
Event Description As efforts mount to return to “normal,” COVID-19 digital health passes, more commonly known as COVID-19 immunity passports or certification programs, have been floated as a way to safely get people back to work, school, and social activities. Israel has implemented a “green pass” that restricts access to concerts, gyms, and other leisure…
