Law Commons^™

Presidential Immigration Policies Endangering Health And Well-Being?, Lawrence O. Gostin, Katharina Ó Cathaoir

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Since assuming office, President Trump has issued a series of executive orders transforming United States immigration policy. From building a border wall to banning entry to the US based on nationality, these executive orders are likely to profoundly impact health and wellbeing. Are these actions legal, ethical, and what are the likely effects on US health care?

The implications of the proposed expansion of the border wall between Mexico and the US, new rules on deportation and detention, and the proposed ban on immigration from certain Muslim-majority countries are discussed. These actions run contrary to available evidence on protecting the …

Reimagining Who: Leadership And Action For A New Director-General, Lawrence O. Gostin, Eric A. Friedman

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Three candidates to be the next WHO Director-General remain: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, David Nabarro, and Sania Nishtar. The World Health Assembly’s ultimate choice will lead an Organization facing daunting internal and external challenges, from its own funding shortfalls to antimicrobial resistance and immense health inequities. The new Director-General must transform WHO into a 21^st century institution guided by the right to health. Topping the incoming Director-General’s agenda will be a host of growing threats—risks to global health security, antimicrobial resistance, non-communicable diseases, and climate change—but also the transformative potential of the Sustainable Development Goals, including their universal health coverage …

A Mental Health Checkup For Children At The Doctor’S Office: Lessons From The Medical-Legal Partnership Movement To Fulfill Medicaid’S Promise, Yael Cannon

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Traumatic childhood events and the stress they cause can negatively affect health over a lifetime. For children with Medicaid coverage, visits to the doctor’s office present an opportunity to improve this trajectory. Medicaid’s Early Periodic Screening Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) mandate requires that children receive more than a basic physical when they see a doctor for regular “well-child checks.” As part of a comprehensive look at their development, they should receive mental health check-ups that could identify childhood trauma, its impacts, and the interventions that could help improve health and mental health. Data suggests that many children do not receive …

Global Health Security In An Era Of Explosive Pandemic Potential, Lawrence O. Gostin, Ana Ayala

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Pandemics pose a significant risk to security, economic stability, and development. Annualized expected losses from pandemics are estimated at $60 billion per year. Despite the certainty and magnitude of the threat, the global community has significantly underestimated and underinvested in avoidance of pandemic threats.

We cannot wait or continue with the status quo, in which we pay attention to infectious disease threats only when they are at their peak and then are complacent and remain vulnerable until the next major outbreak. To reinforce and sustain international focus, funding, and action, it is crucial that pandemics rise to the level of …

Advancing The Right To Health: The Vital Role Of Law, Lawrence O. Gostin, Oscar A. Cabrera, David Patterson, Roger Magnusson, Helena Nygren-Krug

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Effective laws and an enabling legal environment are essential to a healthy society. Most public health challenges – from infectious and non-communicable diseases to injuries, from mental illness to universal health coverage – have a legal component. At global, national and local levels, law is a powerful tool for advancing the right to health. This tool is, however, often underutilized.

This report aims to raise awareness about the role that public health laws can play in advancing the right to health and in creating the conditions for all people to live healthy lives. The report provides guidance about issues and …