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Center for Public Health Law and Policy

The Center for Public Health Law and Policy explores fascinating and emerging global and domestic issues in public health law, policy, and ethics. Varied topical interest areas include emergency legal preparedness, vaccinations, health care reform, injury prevention, and constitutional rights and protections.

The center brings students together with leading scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to address critical challenges at the intersection of law, ethics, policy, and the public’s health. Its diverse group of scholars and partners seeks to promote the role of law as a tool for improving the public’s health by conducting targeted legal and policy research, developing innovative tools and educational materials, generating extensive scholarship, and collaborating with public health and medical leaders. For more information, review our virtual “open house” recording.

The center also hosts the Western Region Office of the Network for Public Health Law, supported primarily by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Network provides technical assistance to practitioners and attorneys nationally, and allows students the opportunity to research, develop, and implement public health law solutions.


From its origination in fall 2009, the center has flourished with the support of multiple faculty and colleagues across the university. For over a decade, the center has been at the forefront of health care and public health law, policy, and ethics. Some of our significant achievements include:

  • Generation of over $6 million in external funding in public health law and policy (with special thanks to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF));
  • ASU Law is consistently ranked among the top 25 health law programs nationally for 11 years running by U.S. News and World Report - and currently #14 in U.S. News and World Report 2024, our 2nd highest rank ever;
  • One of 11 law schools receiving an A+ grade for its health law curriculum in 2022 by Prelaw Magazine (published via National Jurist);
  • Organizer of multiple national and regional conferences and symposia in public health law and health policy;
  • Publication of over 200 manuscripts in premier journals of law, medicine, public health, and policy, including co-authorship credits for over 50 different ASU fellows, students, and alums;
  • 600+ media cites in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, Time, Newsweek, The Atlantic, NBC News, among others;
  • Full-time fellowship opportunities for over a dozen ASU Law graduates and other talented colleagues nationally;
  • Ascendance of ASU alums in major health law and policy positions in public and private sectors, including federal/state health agencies, major law firms, policy enterprises, and academia;
  • Alliances with multiple programs and partners nationally and internationally;
  • Multiple substantive projects in health law and public health law and policy (as per select project descriptions below).

News and events

Degree emphasis

In an era of substantial national and regional reforms in health care and public health, students and practitioners must be able to recognize, assess, and solve issues of law, ethics, and policy at the intersection of health care delivery and protection of community health. The nationally-ranked health law programs, projects, and initiatives at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University encompass an array of unique and emerging areas, including public health law and policy, personalized medicine, and neuroscience.

Visit the Health Law emphasis page

Our graduates are making impacts across the country.

Our alumni are working in the health care and public health professions in public and private sector positions across the nation. Get to know some of our graduates and how they are making a difference in serving their clients and assuring improved health outcomes.

Expertise

 

James G. Hodge Jr

James G. Hodge Jr.
Peter Kiewit Foundation Professor of Law;
Faculty Director, Center for Public Health Law and Policy;
Director, Western Region Office - Network for Public Health Law

Leila Barraza

Leila Barraza J.D., M.P.H
Associate Professor, Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona

Diana Bowman

Diana Bowman
Associate Dean for International Engagement
Professor of Law

Dr. John Shufeldt

Karen Bradshaw
Professor of Law

Alexandra Brewis-Slade

Alexandra Brewis-Slade
Professor of Medical Anthropology;
Executive Director, School of Human Evolution & Social Change, ASU

Charles Calleros

Charles Calleros
Associate Dean and Professor of Law;
Visiting Professor, Universite Paris Descartes

Doug Campos-Outcalt

Doug Campos-Outcalt
Faculty, Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona

David Gartner

David Gartner
Professor of Law

Rolf Halden

Rolf Halden
Professor, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment,
Fulton School of Engineering, ASU

Myles V. Lynk

Myles V. Lynk
Emeritus Professor;
Faculty Fellow, Center for Law, Science & Innovation

Gary E. Marchant

Gary E. Marchant
Director & Faculty Fellow, Center for Law, Science & Innovation;
ASU Regents Professor and Lincoln Professor of Emerging Technologies, Law and Ethics

Joel Michaels

Joel Michaels
Adjunct Professor of Law

Michael J. Saks

Michael J. Saks
Regents Professor of Law and Psychology;
Faculty Fellow, Center for Law, Science & Innovation

Dr. John Shufeldt

John Shufeldt
Adjunct Faculty

Dean Douglas Sylvester

Douglas Sylvester
Professor of Law;
Faculty Fellow, Center for Law, Science & Innovation

Jennifer L. Piatt, JD

Jennifer L. Piatt, JD
Research Scholar and
Center Faculty Co-Director

Erica N. White

Erica N. White, JD
Research Scholar