Developing synergies between health law and public health law

Peter D. Jacobson earned a law degree (JD) from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and a master in public health degree (MPH) from UCLA. Currently, he is Professor of Health Law and Policy, and Director, Center for Law, Ethics, and Health, at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, where he teaches courses on health law, public health law, and health care regulations. Jacobson’s current research projects include studies examining: the impact of state and federal law on public health preparedness; organizational and operational efficiencies in Michigan’s health care safety net providers; and public health entrepreneurship.

At the Brocher Foundation, Jacobson will be working on two interrelated projects. One project will examine connections between health law (dealing largely with the medical care system) and public health law. Many areas, such as obesity, involve both medical care and population health. Understanding how the two legal approaches interact may facilitate better legal doctrine and improved policy interventions. The other project involves interviews with European public health officials and officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) to examine how European countries provide public health services. The goal is to assess what aspects of European approaches can be adapted to improve the public health system in the United States.