We are pleased to announce the release today of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences’ report on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. This neurodevelopmental condition is a complex public health problem, and one that intersects with legal structures in important ways – from the system of child protection, to what forms of primary care and substance use care are funded and accessible, to the limitations of the criminal justice system as a response. CHLPE's Jennifer Chandler chaired a panel of experts over the past year and half, culminating in this extensive 400 page report. It integrates the results of literature and policy reviews as well as an exhaustive public and stakeholder outreach process. The Public Health Agency of Canada commissioned this report, in part to inform its response to a bill proposing a new governmental policy framework to respond to FASD.

Graduate students from CHLPE and McGill are gathering April 28-29 for our jointly held annual graduate colloquium, held this year in Montreal. Students are presenting their research in panels on health rights and equity, public health concerns, emerging healthcare issues, and ethical and legal frameworks, chaired by CHLPE and McGill faculty. Students from Ottawa attending this year include Zainab Lawal, Joackim Tamale, Emmanuel Nwatu, Diana Urian, Veronica Vered, Shreya Nair, and Lauren Hancock. Every year this event fosters collaboration, mentorship, and critical discussion on pressing challenges in health law, policy, and ethics.

We are looking for an outstanding scholar from the U.S. to join the Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics at the University of Ottawa, Canada for four months in 2026/27. We are the largest centre of our kind in Canada and one of the largest in the world. The chairholder will join our vibrant community of scholars, with the opportunity to interact with faculty and graduate students from law, social sciences, medicine, health sciences, management, and the arts. Our location in Canada's capital enables the chairholder to address issues of national and international significance and to network with leading policy makers and jurists.

Rosalie Ayotte is the recipient of the Graduate Award in Reproductive Health Law & Policy for 2025–26, jointly provided by the Shirley Greenberg Chair for Women and the Legal Profession and the Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics (CHLPE). In the fall of 2025 she will begin her LL.M. at the University of Ottawa, supervised by CHLPE member, Professor Audrey Ferron Parayre. Rosalie’s research thesis will focus on obstetrical and gynecological violence (OGV), the mistreatment of women during childbirth including, for example, non-consented interventions such as Caesarean sections, disrespectful language, neglect, and discrimination. She will seek correlations between infringement of rights and healthcare documentation procedures currently in place in the province of Quebec. She will also look at the participation of women in the drafting process for policies and procedures, which is one key to minimizing the incidence of OGV.

Newly released by the University of Ottawa Press, this book edited by CHLPE Director Vanessa Gruben together with Chelsea Cox explores how different approaches to harm reduction can create a stronger foundation for more effective policies and legislation. Scholars from law and social sciences collaborate with frontline organizations as well as with individuals with lived experience to reflect diverse perspectives, and transform how society addresses substance-related challenges ranging across opioids, cannabis, and tobacco.

Do you want to develop deeper knowledge in the law, policy and ethics of mental health/healthcare to supplement your career or studies? We are now accepting applications for our Summer Institute, a one-week online program running June 16–20. Aimed at both professionals and university students, no prior experience or legal training is required. Class size is limited, so we encourage you to apply soon!