Public Health Law and Ethics Program

The Public Health Law and Ethics Program (PHLEP) develops strategies and tools which enhance the ability of public health organizations, including the Agency itself, to carry out their core public health responsibilities. This is achieved by the development of databases, frameworks, guidelines and best practices to support public health decision making.

The Public Health Law and Ethics Program is comprised of three distinct, but inter-related streams: Public Health Law; Public Health Ethics; and, Research Ethics.

The aim of the Public Health Law component of the program is to increase the effectiveness of law-based approaches to public health practice in Canada. This is achieved by providing expertise and advice on the effectiveness of law-based approaches to public health practice at the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal levels of government. Key program activities include conducting research on and analysis of legislative tools, interventions and practices; strengthening competencies to understand and apply law to public health practice; and, providing consultation and discussion opportunities to share best practices.

The Public Health Ethics stream of PHLEP works to establish a portfolio approach to public health ethics by providing various knowledge and educational material to PH practitioners (internal and/or external to PHAC) aiming to enhance core competencies and, ethics expertise to PHAC through the Ethics Advisory Committee (EAC). Its ultimate goal is to increase awareness of the importance of ethics in public health practice and decision-making within and outside of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The Research Ethics component of PHLEP aims to increase awareness of the importance of ethics in public health research. This is achieved by supporting access to the joint HC/PHAC Research Ethics Board (REB) by ensuring appropriate policies for research ethics are in place; by fostering an institutional culture of respect for human subjects; by providing advisory consultative and support services for PHAC on matters of research ethics; and, by addressing emerging issues in research ethics.

For more information regarding the Public Health Law and Ethics Program, please contact: PHLEP-PLESP@phac-aspc.gc.ca.