International Health Law

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

This subject will provide students with an in-depth understanding of global health law through careful examination of the major contemporary problems in global health, the principal international legal instruments governing global health and the principal international organisations and innovative solutions for global health governance in the twenty-first century. It will cover naturally occurring infectious diseases (e.g. extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS), past (e.g. SARS) and future (e.g. influenza (A) H5N1) epidemics, bioterrorism events (e.g. anthrax or smallpox) and/or major chronic diseases caused by modern lifestyles (e.g. obesity or tobacco use).

Principal topics will include:

• Health in a globalised world
• The ‘grand challenges’ in global health
• National security and global health: National interests, enlightened self-interests and health diplomacy
• International health law: The International Health Regulations and the Framework Convention on Global Health
• Health and human rights
• World trade and world health
• Innovations in global health governance: Towards a framework convention on global health.

A student who has successfully completed this subject should:

• Describe the basic legal, economic, political and public health policy concepts relevant to global public health law
• Have an understanding of the major institutions and organisations affecting global health, including intergovernmental organisations, non-governmental organisations and foundations
• Have an understanding of the international legislative and political processes and how the processes influence the creation and implementation of global health law commitments
• Have an understanding of contemporary forms of international law relating to global health, including the International Health Regulations, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, World Trade Organization (WTO) treaties and international human rights
• Have an understanding of the most pressing contemporary problems in global health and innovative solutions for global health governance.

Core subject materials will be provided free of charge to all students. Some subjects require further texts to be purchased. Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.