Global health law

The unit provides a basic introduction to the normative foundation and legal structure of key international global health organisations (particularly the World Health Organization) and the processes in international politics and policies directed at realising the fundamental human right of access to basic medical services and the right to science. Barriers (e.g. intellectual property claims of pharmaceutical companies) to equitable access to medical products will be introduced and different responses to these barriers will be considered. You will study the role of international law and instruments touching on global health concerns, and how they differ from national law. Important international legal norms and initiatives that pertain to planetary health (particularly the impact of climate change on health) and medical humanitarianism will be briefly introduced.