January 30, 2026
This newsletter includes a new project announcement, a team member introduction, and an encouraging litigation update. There is also a brief survey at the end that offers an opportunity for readers to help with our efforts to advance the interests of public health in the courts. Please take a minute to fill it out!
Advancing Public Health and Health Equity in the Courts Program
Northeastern’s Center for Health Policy and Law (CHPL) and Public Health Law Watch (PHLW) have launched the Advancing Public Health & Health Equity in the Courts program to initiate a coordinated effort to strengthen public health and health equity in litigation. This comes at a critical moment when legal attacks on efforts to improve health and equity are increasing, and judicial skepticism toward public health expertise is on the rise.
With a focus on the judiciary as a tool for change, we plan to elevate public health voices before the courts through filing amicus briefs on behalf of public health practitioners and advocacy groups. Courts and judges play a unique role in shaping health and equity, yet public health perspectives are often missing from judicial decision-making. Amicus briefs can contextualize the health, equity, and real-world impacts of judicial decisions on communities, with the goal of promoting a legal system that advances – rather than harms – health and health equity.
This program builds on the Act for Public Health partnership’s Action Plan by connecting public health experts, community groups, legal scholars, and practitioners to monitor emerging cases and support strategic litigation. And we, of course, need to thank the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for supporting the critical work of this new program!
Introduction to Shannon Rempe
Shannon Rempe has joined Northeastern’s CHPL as Program Director for the Advancing Public Health & Health Equity in the Courts (Amicus) program. Shannon is an experienced public health attorney dedicated to advancing health equity through public health law and policy, litigation strategy, and collaborative advocacy. Before joining Northeastern, Shannon was an attorney with ChangeLab Solutions where she conducted legal research and policy analysis for local, state, and federal partners. Her prior work at the Kentucky Equal Justice Center (KEJC) included co-counseling a federal class action challenging unconstitutional medical debt collection practices and developing KEJC’s reproductive justice and sexual rights portfolio.
Shannon holds a J.D. and M.P.H. from St. Louis University and lives in Denver, CO with her partner and their dog.
AAP v. Kennedy Amicus Brief Update
As an example of this project in motion, we are excited to share a recent victory. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Massachusetts denied the Department of Justice’s motion to dismiss in American Academy of Pediatrics et al. v. Kennedy et al., a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s actions to alter COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and replace key members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). We previously covered this case in both our November and July newsletters. In his order dated January 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy of the District of Massachusetts cited the amicus brief co-authored by PHLW’s Professor Wendy E. Parmet – the only amicus referenced in the decision.
In this amicus brief, Defend Public Health, in collaboration with PHLW, Professor Dorit Reiss of UC Law San Francisco, and attorneys from Hooper, Lundy, & Bookman P.C., argue that the federal government’s 2025 overhaul of vaccine policy undermines evidence-based decision-making and significantly harms public health. Further, the government’s shift from universal COVID-19 vaccination recommendations to “shared clinical decision-making,” they argue, could create significant barriers to vaccine access nationwide.
The brief contends with the impact the change has on pharmacists, who play a vital role in the administration of vaccinations but now face unclear rules and operational barriers, threatening the most widely available and efficient vaccination channel. It also highlights concerns for vulnerable populations, including children and pregnant patients, who are most affected by disruptions in the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. Because ACIP recommendations directly shape insurance coverage, provider authority, and access to care, the brief urges the court to grant plaintiff’s requested relief to restore clear, universal vaccination guidance and protect public health.
Judge Murphy’s citation to the brief (footnote 19, page 17) addresses potential liability concerns for pharmacists administering vaccines, which showcases the value in elevating public health voices in judicial decision-making. We are grateful to have contributed to this case and look forward to continue working with public health experts and outside counsel on cases, such as AAP v. Kennedy, that carry significant public health implications.
Partner With Us!
To continue building our Amicus program, we invite public health experts, advocacy groups, legal scholars, and practitioners to let us know about state or local cases that may impact public health or health equity. By taking this survey, you can share information about relevant cases, as well as provide contact information for potential counsel who would be interested in joining our amicus project network. Another goal of this program is to build a network of outside counsel interested in public health litigation so that we can effectively respond to cases of critical public health importance as they are filed across the country. This information sharing will help ensure that public health perspectives reach courtrooms across the country, so we thank you in advance for your help!
With our growing team, we will return to sending newsletters twice a month. We look forward to seeing you again in 2 weeks.