News Archive

Registration is now open for our upcoming annual conference, happening October 20 & 21. Early bird rates in effect until July 15! Click for more information.

In practice, access to care under the IFHP is often far more limited than critics suggest. Y.Y Chen writes in the Hill Times.

AI scholars from across the University of Ottawa partner to support the transformation of Canada’s health AI system by connecting academia, hospitals, government, and innovators and providing legal, policy and data asset guidance. CHLPE is excited to be part of this cutting edge initative.

Yesterday, the federal government suspended the processing of immigration applications and the validity of previously issued immigration documents for residents of Ebola-affected countries. For now, the measure affects Congolese, Ugandan and South Sudanese migrants to Canada. It is misguided, unsupported by scientific evidence, and crucially, inconsistent with Canada's obligations under international law. Roojin Habibi, Y.Y. Chen, and Jamie Liew write in the Globe & Mail

University of Ottawa J.D. student Dana Lin has published her term paper from her Introduction to Health Law course in the University of Western Ontario Law Journal, a rare achievement for a course paper. In Health Privacy for All: Identifying Privacy Risks in Canadian Frameworks for Trans Patients, Dana argues that Canadian privacy law fails to adequately address the unique needs of trans people, who face increased privacy risks in the healthcare system. Her paper considers the limitations of Canada’s health privacy laws, including the risks posed by broad disclosure exceptions, the overlap of public and private health care, and the increased use of health data sharing. Additionally, it examines comparative approaches from jurisdictions such as the U.S., Switzerland, and Iceland, and proposes a refinement of privacy legislation that narrows the scope of broad exceptions and implements additional safeguards.

We are so happy to learn that we will be welcoming Dr. Benjamin Meier as our Fulbright visiting scholar from the U.S. in September. Dr. Meier is a professor of global health policy in the Department of Public Policy and the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research is at the intersection of global health, international law and public policy. It examines rights-based approaches to health, including the evolution and application of human rights in global health. As a contributor to the development of global health policy, Dr. Meier serves additionally as a senior scholar at Georgetown Law School’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, as the past chair of the American Public Health Association’s Human Rights Forum, as the human rights chair of the Global Health Law Consortium, and as a consultant to international organizations, national governments and NGOs.

CHLPE's Professor Jennifer Chandler and doctoral student Tristan Borresen have organized a new initiative called Open Mind Talks, aspiring to create an interdisciplinary community at the University of Ottawa across neuroscience, philosophy, linguistics, psychology, law, and informatics, where students and staff can discuss topics on brain science and society. On the last Friday of every month a speaker from one of the faculties will give an informal talk on their work and open for discussion. The first meeting, on April 24 at 3:00 pm, will feature neuroscientist Leonard Maler who will present new research conducted in collaboration with a Berlin team on acoustic communication in Danionella, a tiny tropical fish. Using whole-brain imaging, they found that social sounds like fighting and courtship activate ancient neural circuits tied to motivation and reward rather than higher order cognition. Humans share these same ancient circuits, linking to familiar questions about how rational our decisions really are when social repercussions are in play.

April 24 meeting >

More information / Join Open Mind Talks >

CHLPE's Associate Director Dina Idriss-Wheeler is now Dr. Idriss-Wheeler! Congratulations to Dina on defending her Ph.D. dissertation, Exploring Intimate Partner Violence Health Inequities During COVID-19 Lockdowns in Ontario. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a critical public health issue that affects millions globally. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health mandates including lockdowns and social distancing requirements created conditions that amplified risks for IPV survivors while simultaneously disrupting access to formal and informal support systems. The aim of Dina's dissertation was to explore how lockdown measures in Ontario shaped experiences of IPV, access to supports, and perceived health outcomes. The research sought to determine whether, and in what ways, survivors of IPV faced disproportionate health inequities during the pandemic compared to the general population. Dina's work demonstrated that IPV survivors faced heightened health inequities during COVID-19 lockdowns, experiencing compounded barriers to support services and worse health outcomes than the general population. Findings revealed gaps in emergency preparedness frameworks, which currently fail to address gender-based violence as a core component of crisis response. There is an urgent need for sustained funding for the VAW sector, integration of IPV considerations into emergency and disaster management strategies, intersectional approaches to service design, and survivor-informed policies that prioritize equity and accessibility during crises.

Canada’s aging population is often criticized for “hoarding” wealth and straining public pensions and health care, but experts say this framing misrepresents reality, as most Canadians are net beneficiaries of the welfare state over their lifetimes, with only top earners contributing more than they receive. Senior health economist Sasha van Katwyk and former Statistics Canada official Michael Wolfson argue that the real challenge lies in long-term fiscal pressures from health care and pensions, which could require gradual tax increases, targeted pension reforms, and efficiency-focused health care changes. They emphasize that focusing on generational blame obscures deeper wealth inequalities and systemic inefficiencies, warning that Canada risks fiscal strain only if structural reforms are ignored.

With a new national AI strategy forthcoming, the question is whether this government will use that opportunity to ask what role we want AI to play in mental health care—or whether it will settle for summoning tech executives to Ottawa and expressing disappointment. Sophie Nunnelley writes in the Hill Times.

What does it take to protect a key strategic asset—our health data—in an era of accelerating AI? This episode of the Digital Health podcast explores why data sovereignty is a strategic imperative for Canada, and the digital health future we stand to build—or lose. Featuring CHLPE's Dr. Kumanan Wilson and UO Faculty of Law's Professor Michael Geist.

Hear the podcast:

Apple >

Spotify >

Applications are now open for our Summer Institute in Public Health Law, running June 1–5. This one-week (30-hour) online course equips you to understand and respond to key law and policy issues in public health. Grounded in accessible instruction, the program is designed for a wide range of attendees such as health professionals, administrators, public servants, researchers, lawyers, patient partners, and university students.
No legal experience is required.

Class size is limited, so we encourage you to apply soon!

From AI scribes for doctors to a new remedy for hot flashes, health science took big steps forward this year. Feat. CHLPE's Kumanan Wilson.

A longstanding issue with funding for scientific research in Canada has been selecting large scientific projects. Telescopes and particle accelerators come to mind. They are expensive and require long-term funding. Unfortunately, health and social data have largely been left out of the picture for big science research funding in Canada. The common phrase “data is the new oil” plus the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) reinforce the importance of data as critical infrastructure. This kind of infrastructure is just as important for economic growth as investments in ports and electricity generation. Michael Wolfson writes in Hospital News.

The Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice and CHLPE released a report on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in Canada for Indigenous survivors of forced and coerced sterilization. Informed by the experiences of survivors, the report explores the availability of ART services across Canada that provide fertility assistance for survivors. The report reviews treatment options, costs, resources available in Canada, and Indigenous cultural safety. It also explores the availability of services in the U.S. and other countries. The Survivors Circle offers a Healing Support Fund for survivors of forced and coerced sterilization which includes funding up to $30,000 for ART services.

• Annual Conference – Mental Health Law
• Sophie Nunnelley to Join the Faculty of Law
• Lori Beaman Awarded Distinguished University Professor
• Jennifer Chandler Awarded Canada Research Chair
• Law Enforcement and Public Health Conference
• Roojin Habibi Defends Ph.D.
• Media (17)
• Academic Articles (21)
• Other (5)

Alzheimer’s disease is an insidious and relentless loss of memory and thinking, accompanied by a gradual yet devastating deterioration in ability to function independently. It’s a terrifying diagnosis for patients and families alike. Dementia is defined as a loss of memory or thinking, which takes away daily independence. Alzheimer’s disease is the buildup of amyloid and tau proteins in the brain — proteins which begin as helpful yet become toxic as they accumulate. Alzheimer’s disease is therefore the cause, and dementia is the effect. Unfortunately, medical treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia have remained minimal for over 25 years, and with a growing aging population, Alzheimer’s disease has become one of the greatest unmet medical needs in the world. There is hope on the horizon. Andrew Frank & Katherine Pearson write in the Good Men Project.

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.

Voting patterns in the 2019 and 2021 elections show significant differences in life expectancy depending on which party won the seat: shorter for constituents who elected a Conservative or NDP MP compared to Liberal-won ridings. Michael Wolfson writes in the Hill Times.

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.

After leading the world through a global pandemic for more than three years, the World Health Organization is under fire again... Roojin Habibi writes in Hill Times.