Covarrubias v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration)
Country: CanadaYear: 2006
Court: The Federal Court of Appeal
Citation: 2006 FCA 365
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Poverty
Human Rights: Freedom of movement and residence, Right to health, Right to life
The appellants were Mexican citizens who arrived in Canada and made a claim for refugee protection. Before their claim was heard, the male appellant was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and was immediately put on life-sustaining hemodialysis treatment. The Immigration and Refugee Board (‘Board’) denied their claim for refugee protection. Among other findings, the Board …Read more
R (on the application of Rogers) v. Swindon NHS Primary Care Trust and Anr.
Country: United KingdomYear: 2006
Court: Court of Appeal, Civil Division
Citation: [2006] EWCA Civ 392
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medicines
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to health, Right to life
The appellant Ann Rogers, suffered from type HER2 breast cancer, which was in its early stages. She had a poor prognosis of only a 25% chance of remaining free of breast cancer and a 43% chance of being alive at ten years. Herceptin was licensed by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for treatment of only …Read more
Victoria Yisraeli v. Health Basket Committee
Country: IsraelYear: 2006
Court: Supreme Court (sitting as High Court of Justice)
Citation: HCJ 2974/06
Health Topics: Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medicines, Poverty
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to health
Vicki Yisraeli was gradually going deaf, and was diagnosed as having hearing at a level 15% of that of a healthy person. She sought a cochlear implant procedure to save her hearing. However, to obtain one, she was required under the Second Supplement of the National Insurance Law, 1994 (the Law) to pay a participation …Read more
Yvonne Watts v. Bedford Primary Care Trust and Secretary of State for Health
Country: United KingdomYear: 2006
Court: European Court of Justice
Citation: C-372/04
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to social security
This case was a reference for a preliminary ruling, concerning the interpretation of Articles 48-50 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, as well as Article 22 of Council Regulation 1408/71 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, self-employed persons and members of their families moving within the Community. The reference arose …Read more
Chaoulli v. Quebec (Attorney General)
Country: CanadaYear: 2005
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 2005 S.C.C. 35, [2005] 1 S.C.R. 791
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
Section 15 of the Health Insurance Act (HEIA) and s. 11 of the Hospital Insurance Act (HOIA) prohibited Quebec residents from taking out private health insurance for services covered by Quebec’s public health care plan. The two Appellants, Jacques Chaoulli and George Zeliotis, contested the validity of this prohibition. They alleged that these prohibitions deprived …Read more
Gila Louzon v. Government of Israel
Country: IsraelYear: 2005
Court: Supreme Court (sitting as the High Court of Justice)
Citation: HCJ 3071/05
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medicines
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to life
The decision addressed three petitions with similar facts. In all three cases, the petitioners were diagnosed with cancer and prescribed a medication not included in the health services basket available under the national health care services (which was prohibitively expensive to purchase individually). By the time two of the petitions came to the Court, however, …Read more
Pentiacova and Ors. v. Moldova
Country: MoldovaYear: 2005
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 14462/03; (2005) 40 EHRR SE23
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Medicines
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to family life, Right to life, Right to property
Applicants filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights alleging that the Moldovan government’s inadequate financing of hemodialysis treatments violated their right to life, caused them significant pain and suffering, and negatively affected their families’ lives. Applicants were a group of patients suffering from liver failure and receiving hemodialysis treatments. They alleged that …Read more
Auton (Guardian ad litem of) v. British Columbia (Attorney General)
Country: CanadaYear: 2004
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: [2004] 3 S.C.R. 657; [2004] S.C.C. 78
Health Topics: Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination
Connor Auton and his three co-petitioners were infant children suffering from autism. Applied Behavioral Analysis or Intensive Behavioral Intervention (ABA-IBI based therapy) was the only known, effective therapy for children with autism, although it remained a somewhat controversial and expensive treatment. Neither the Medicare Protection Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 286, nor the Canada Health Act, …Read more
Berishvili v. Rustavi City Hall, et al.
Country: GeorgiaYear: 2004
Court: Court of Cassation
Citation: Case no. bs-205-172-k-04
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Environmental health, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Mental health, Public safety
Human Rights: Right to a clean environment
Petitioner Berishvili requested reimbursement from defendants Rustavi City Hall and LLC “Cultural and Recreational Park” for medical expenses incurred by her son after he was injured in a city park. Petitioner and her son went to the Cultural Recreation Park in Rustavi City. While at the park, a poisonous snake bit her son who required …Read more
Case 1294-2004-R
Country: BoliviaYear: 2004
Court: Tribunal Constitucional de Bolivia [Constitutional Tribunal of Bolivia]
Citation: Tribunal Constitucional de Bolivia [Constitutional Tribunal of Bolivia], Constitutional Judgment 12/94/2004-R, August 12, 2004 (Bol.)
Health Topics: Aging, Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life, Right to social security
The National Commission on Benefits of the National Health Treasury (CNS) provided free medical insurance for the elderly. Alejandro Cuba Plaza, a beneficiary of CNS, was diagnosed with “terminal chronic kidney failure” and treated with ongoing hemodialysis at Obrero Hospital. After 52 weeks of treatment, CNS ordered the Director of Obrero Hospital to transfer Plaza …Read more