Health Law

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“The Many Faces of Health”: March 2021 Northeastern University Law Review Symposium Synopsis

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By Kelsea Davis

The 2021 Northeastern University Law Review (“NULR”) Symposium (“the Symposium”), entitled “The Many Faces of Health,” addressed the multidisciplinary intersection of systemic racism, public health, and the current COVID-19 pandemic. Laudable professionals from across the globe were featured at the event to discuss various facets of the public and private systems that have led to both the creation and maintenance of inequity within the United States. Out of these discussions emerged common themes, including the public’s right to the data and information collected by publicly funded institutions and programs. However, the most dominant theme was the importance of both procedural and distributive justice in abating inequity and discriminatory practices.

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No More Hyde and Seek: Biden’s Removal of the Hyde Amendment from the Proposed Budget is a Win for Abortion Access

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By Mackenzie Darling

President Biden’s proposed budget does not include provisions barring federal funding for abortion procedures. The lack of this policy is a significant win for protecting abortion rights, because banning federal funding for abortion care has been commonplace since shortly after Roe v. Wade. Best known as the Hyde Amendment, the ban on the use of federal funding for elective abortion procedures has been in place since the late 1970’s and has drastically limited a pregnant person’s ability to access abortion care . . .

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Warp Speed: Does the Rapid Development of a COVID-19 Vaccine Create a Public Safety Concern?

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By Matthew Gallotto

Politicization of a COVID-19 vaccine may be causing a long-term safety issue for the U.S. public health. A poll administered by the Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that Americans are fearful of political influence on the development of a COVID-19 vaccine which may jeopardize the safety of any vaccine brought to market. More than half of poll participants said they would not be willing to take a free COVID-19 vaccine if it were available before the November presidential election. Another poll from Gallop similarly showed that more than one-third of poll participants would be unwilling to take a free FDA-approved vaccine if it were currently available . . .

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Sex in the Time of COVID-19

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By Mackenzie Darling

During a public health crisis, the public is thinking about their health and the safety of their loved ones. However, while society is focused on protecting people from COVID-19, the sexual health and wellbeing of individuals is under major threat. This forum discusses three major concerns about the current state of sexual and reproductive health: (1) the impact the COVID-19 pandemic may have on people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); (2) how state executive orders are preventing access to abortions; and (3) how the closures of doctor’s offices, Planned Parenthood health clinics, and non-essential stores pose a major threat to access to contraception and sexually transmitted infection (STI) healthcare . . .