We are in the thick of unprecedented times. CHLPE members are at work on many dimensions of the COVID-19 crisis. Please check in regularly—or sign up for our newsletter to receive news, media, and event updates.

Now available free is Vulnerable: The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19, published by the University of Ottawa Press. This book brings together 70 contributors from law, policy, ethics, medicine, health sciences, economics, management, and more. e-editions of Vulnerable are free of charge; print copies are available for purchase.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) will transform and democratize health care systems. Yet at the same time it presents clear risks and implementation issues, such as those connected to discrimination, informed consent, safety/quality (and liability for harm), and privacy. This report from a group of experts across AI, law, ethics, policy, and medicine, addresses the core question: How can Canada maximize the potential benefits of the use of AI in health care while minimizing potential dangers?

Bertram Loeb Research Chair and CHLPE member Jennifer Chandler was part of the international multi-disciplinary team conducting this study under the leadership of Dr. Sonny Dhanani, CHEO. Professor Chandler contributed ethical, legal and social scientific expertise to the project. This work is key to the practice of organ donation after cardiac death, where speculation about the possibility of auto-resuscitation (spontaneous resumption of heartbeat) has led to ethical and legal questions about how long to wait following cardiac arrest before removal of organs for transplantation. Professor Chandler is presently involved in a follow-on study examining neurological activity during the dying process.

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With the first Canadians getting the COVID-19 vaccine this week, the importance of effectively monitoring the rollout of vaccinations is coming to the fore. The government response nicely recognizes the lead role of the provinces in setting priorities for vaccination. This cooperative federalism is wonderful—when it works. However, for anyone with experience in software, databases and statistical analysis, the vaccination monitoring described sounds like a dog’s breakfast. That’s not good enough when lives are on the line. CHLPE's Michael Wolfson (former Assistant Chief Statistician at Statistics Canada) writes in the Globe and Mail.‍

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Also hear Dr. Wolfson in a radio interview:‍

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Making vaccination of healthcare workers mandatory would guard against depletion of the healthcare workforce, and may reduce rates of workers transmitting COVID-19 to their patients. However, such policies have historically been challenged under labour law, and in theory might be challenged under human rights law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Colleen M. Flood, Bryan Thomas, and Kumanan Wilson write in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.‍

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Vaccination certificates will likely be required in a variety of settings. Policy makers must have clear rules for their design and implementation. Colleen M. Flood, Vivek Krishnamurthy, and Kumanan Wilson write in Policy Options.‍

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