PUBLIC HEALTH LAW AND ETHICS
INSTRUCTOR: Robert Lieberman, Esq.
COURSE OUTLINE (Fall, 2014)
09/03/14
Course Introduction
Unit 1
Public Health: The Functions of Public Health
Public Health Law & Ethics
09/10/14
Reading: Mapping the Issues, 1-19; 37-41
Unit 2
The Relation of Public Health to Ethics
09/17/14
Doing Ethics
Reading: Community: The Neglected Tradition of Public Health, 35-38
Unit 3
The Public Health Framework
09/24/14
Reading: Mapping the Terrain , 70-75
Unit 4
10/01/14
Human Rights and Public Health
Doing Ethics
Reading: Health and Human Rights, 259-263
Unit 5
Public Health Duties & Powers
Federalism and the Public Health
10/08/14
Reading: DeShaney v Winnebago Co. Dept. of Social Services 107-110
Unit 6
10/15/14
Tort Litigation for the Public’s Health
Tort Litigation as a Tool for Public Health
Reading: The New Public Health Litigation, 199-203
Unit 7
Surveillance & Public Health Research: Privacy & the Right to Know
Tuskegee and the Ethics of Public Health Initiatives
10/22/14
Reading: Informational Privacy and the Public’s Health: The Model State Public
Health Privacy Act, 316-320
Unit 8
10/29/14
Health Promotion: Education, Persuasion, & Free Expression
Health Promotion: Education or Indoctrination
Reading: Ethical Issues in Government-sponsored Public Health Campaigns, 328-332
Unit 9
Public Health and Belief Systems
11/05/14
When Ethics, Religious Beliefs, and Good Medical Practice Are in Conflict: A Case
Study
Reading: Brown v. Stone and Boone v. Boozman, 380-384
Unit 10
11/12/14
Public Health and Surveillance
Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine:
Reading Ferguson v. City of Charleston, 395-397
Unit 11
Public Health: An Agent for Prevention
11/19/14
Cancer Screening: Ethical Considerations
Reading: Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) for Tuberculosis, 398-401
UNIT 12
Public Health: An Evolving Enterprise
12/03/14
The Future of Public Health
Reading: Obesity, Poverty, and the Built Environment: Challenges and Opportunities
(p. 510-514)
12/10/14
EXAM REVIEW
Final Examination
Course Requirements
There are a total of 100 percentage points available for this class. They are distributed as follows:
WEEKLY QUESTIONS (22 points)
Students are required submit 2 questions, via email (or another method TBD) by Monday, at 8:00 PM,
prior to the class on Wednesday. These questions must be related to the reading for the week. Each
question is worth 1 point, for total of 2 points per class.
CLASS PARTICIPATION (24 points)
Class time is most valuable when a dialogue exists between those who attend. Your attendance and
participation will be part of your grade and is worth 2 points each class.
WEEKLY QUIZZES (24 points)
A weekly quiz will be posted on sakai each week, after class, by Thurs at 5:00 p.m. Students must take
the quiz by Friday, 5:00 p.m. Quizzes may be based on any of the weeks reading and/or class
discussions/ lectures.
FINAL EXAMINATION (30 points)
Each student will be required to take a final examination (25 points).
Please note that should you fail, unless for a serious illness, accompanied by a doctor's note, to
complete the final examinations as scheduled in the syllabus, you will not be allowed to take the
examination at another time.
Course Grading Scheme:
100-94 = A
93-85 = B+
84-77=B
76-69=C+
68-61=C
60-53=D
52-Below=F
Course Text: Public Health Law and Ethics, A Reader. Ed. Lawrence O. Gostin (Los Angeles:
University of California Press, Revised/Updated 2nd. Edition;2010) Students are urged also to make
use of the following web site: www.publichealthlaw.net/reader
Various articles of interest- I may provide a link to current articles related to ethical and/or legal issues
we will discuss in class.
Instructor’s e-mail: robert.lieberman@rutgers.edu
Academic Integrity: All members of our community must be confident that each person’s work has
been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, and presented. Any effort to gain advantage not
given to all students is dishonest, whether or not the effort is successful. A violation of academic
honesty is a breach of trust and will result in penalties, including possible suspension or expulsion.
When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting or collaboration, consult course instructor.