Health Policy Symposium

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Baylor Health Policy Symposium 2025

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April 24, 2025, 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Theme: Legislating Health: The Appropriate Role of the State in Health Policy

Overview: Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking symposium that delves into the critical role of the state in shaping health policy. This event will bring together leading experts, policymakers, and scholars to explore the complexities and ethical considerations of state intervention in public health. Topics will include the balance between individual rights and public good, the impact of legislation on health outcomes, and innovative policy solutions for contemporary health challenges. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a vital conversation on the future of health policy! We will also have a poster session from Baylor students.

Register here!

Agenda:

Time	Topic	People
11 - 11:10 a.m.	Opening Remarks	Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine
11:10 a.m. - 12 p.m.	Medicaid Innovation	Charlene Wong, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Core Faculty Member, Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy, General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Duke University Ryan Van Ramshorst, MD, chief medical director for Medicaid and CHIP Services at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Paul Klotman, MD, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor College of Medicine Moderated by Peter Ubel, MD, Madge and Dennis T. McLawhorn University Professor of Business, Public Policy and Medicine at Duke
12 - 1:15 p.m.	Health Care Pricing and Medical Debt	Peter Ubel, MD, Madge and Dennis T. McLawhorn University Professor of Business, Public Policy and Medicine at Duke Fumiko Chino, MD, a cancer researcher and Assistant Professor in Breast Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and was a founding lead of the Affordability Working Group at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Director, at the Costs of Care group, an NGO working to improve affordability in healthcare. Vivian Ho, Ph.D., Professor, Medicine-Health Serves Research, Baylor College of Medicine, James A. Baker III Chair in Health Economics, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Ken Janda, J.D., Professor of Practice of Community Accountable Health in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences for the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. Moderated by Laura Petersen, Ph.D., Professor, Medicine-Health Serves Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Associate Chief of Staff for Research, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Director, Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety (IQuESt)
1:15 - 1:30 p.m.	BREAK
1:30 - 2:15 p.m.	Engaging Health Legislators	Brian Jammer, Vice President, State Government Relations, Baylor College of Medicine Susan Patricia Raine, MD, JD, MEd, LLM, Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine Jimmy Widmer, MD, internal medicine Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple Doug Abel, Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications at Harris County Medical Society (HCMS) Moderated by Christi Guerrini, J.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy
2:15 - 3:15 p.m.	Health Policy Case Study; Psychedelics & Texas Ibogaine Initiative: This panel will talk about what happened in Kentucky and current and future efforts in Texas	Bryan Hubbard, former Chairman and Executive Director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, who is leading the ibogaine revolution across the United States, including a big and bold new campaign in Texas Logan Davidson, Executive Director of Texans for Greater Mental Health, and an experienced legislative advocate Moderated by Lynnette Averill, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Clinical Research Psychologist at Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center; Co-Director of Ethical Legal Implications of PSychedelics In Society (ELIPSIS) program at Baylor’s Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy; and an adjunct Assistant Professor at Yale School of Medicine and the Clinical Neuroscience Division of the VA National Center for PTSD
3:15 - 3:30 p.m.	Closing Remarks	Amy McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine
Virtual Poster Session Call for Abstracts Submissions are invited for a virtual poster session via Voice Thread.

For Poster Submissions:
Eligibility: Open to BCM faculty, staff, and students conducting health/science policy research.

Evaluation Criteria: A committee will evaluate abstracts based on their alignment with our program's theme and mission. We will notify entrants if they are approved to submit their poster by April 16th.

Format: Submit only your abstract (250 words max). If selected, you will receive further instructions for uploading your poster and a 3-5 minute narration via VoiceThread.

Deadlines:

Abstract Submission: Monday, April 14, 2025
Notification of Acceptance: Rolling basis via email, by April 16, 2025
Poster and Audio Submission: April 22, 2025

Submit your Poster here!

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Previous Health and Science Policy Day Events

May 14, 2024

Theme: When Medicine Becomes Political

Overview: Our annual event where we highlight health policy work at Baylor College of Medicine and discuss contemporary challenges in health policy that impact our community. This year, we hope to have candid conversations about how to engage in productive discussion around controversial topics and promote respectful discourse in the face of disagreement. We will also have a poster session from Baylor students.

View Event Recordings

Agenda
Time	Topic	People
8:45	Opening	Amy McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine Ellen M Friedman, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.A.P, Senior Associate Dean of Professionalism, Director, Center for Professionalism and Professor, Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine
9 - 9:40	Keynote: The Political Doctor	Bret Giroir, M.D., CEO, Altesa BioSciences, Inc.; Former Assistant Secretary for Health and Admiral, US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Moderator: Vaso Nataly Rahimzadeh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine
9:40 - 10:25	The Political Patient	Susan Patricia Raine, MD, JD, MEd, LLM, Professor Obstetrics & Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine April Dione Adams, MD MS, FACOG, FACMG Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine Joseph Shimon Kass, M.D., J.D., FAAN, Professor, Neurology, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, and Medical Ethics & Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine Moderator: Jean Raphael, MD, MPH, Professor, Pediatrics-Academic General at Baylor College of Medicine
10:25 - 10:35	BREAK
10:35 - 11:15	Keynote: The Political Academic	Peter Jay Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine, Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, Endowed Chair in Tropical Pediatrics Texas Children's Hospital, Co-Director, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development Moderator: Laura A. Petersen, M.D., M.P.H., Professor Medicine-Health Srvcs Research at Baylor College of Medicine, Associate Chief of Staff for Research, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Director, Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety (IQuESt) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
11:15 - Noon	Transcending Politics	Mary Brandt, MD, FACS, Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Surgery and Medical Ethics at Baylor College of Medicine J. Wesley “Wes” Boyd, MD, PhD, Professor of psychiatry and medical ethics at Baylor College of Medicine, Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School Ricardo Nuila, MD, Associate Professor, Medicine-General Med/Ben Taub at Baylor College of Medicine Moderator: Stacey Rubin Rose, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.I.D.S.A., Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Huffington Department of Education, Innovation and Technology, Associate Director, Center for Professionalism at Baylor College of Medicine
Noon - 12:20	LUNCH BREAK
12:20 - 1:20	Keynote: Where do we go from here?	Robert J. Blendon, Sc.D., Richard L. Menschel Professor of Public Health and Professor of Health Policy, Emeritus Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Moderator: Ellen M Friedman, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.A.P, Senior Associate Dean of Professionalism, Director, Center for Professionalism and Professor, Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine
1:20 - 1:25	Closing	Amy McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine
Virtual Poster Session

May 16, 2023

Theme: Future of Medicine

Agenda: See full agenda below.

Flyer

View Event Recordings

Agenda
Time	Panel	Speakers
9 - 9:05 a.m.	Opening Remarks	Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine
9:05 - 10	Intelligent Medicine	Sharmila Anandasabapathy, M.D., FASGE, AGAF, Vice President of Baylor Global Health, Professor of Medicine – Gastroenterology Erez S Lieberman Aiden, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine; Adjunct Professor, Computer Science, Rice University Kristin Kostick-Quenet Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine Moderator: Laura Petersen, M.D., M.P.H., FACP, Center Director, Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Associate Chief of Staff for Research (ACOS/R), Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. Professor, Department of Medicine, Chief, Section of Health Services Research, Baylor College of Medicine
10 - 10:45	Brain Computing	Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby Ph.D., Cullen Professor of Medical Ethics and Associate Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine Sameer Sheth M.D., Ph.D. –Professor, Vice-Chair of Research, Neurosurgery and Cullen Foundation Endowed Chair Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine Wayne Goodman MD, Professor and Chair of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Moderator: Eric Alan Storch, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair, Psychiatry & Behav Sciences, Vice Chair of Psychology, Head of Psychology, Baylor College of Medicine
10:45 - 11	Break
~11 - 11:45 a.m.	Medicine in the Metaverse	Teresia O'Connor M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P. – Associate Professor, CNRC Associate Director for Human Sciences, Pediatrics Nutrition; and Academic General Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine Deborah Thompson Ph.D., R.D., Professor, Pediatrics-Nutrition, Baylor College of Medicine; Research Nutritionist, USDA-ARS, Children's Nutrition Research Center Vaso Nataly Rahimzadeh, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine Moderator: Kristin Kostick-Quenet Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine
11:45 – 12:30	Psychedelics	Lynnette A. Averill Ph.D. Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine and Clinical Research Psychologist at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center Sanjay Mathew M.D. Vice Chair for Research, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Marjorie Bintliff Johnson and Raleigh White Johnson, Jr. Chair for Research in Psychiatry, Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Director of Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at Baylor College of Medicine; Staff Physician Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center Amy McGuire J.D., Ph.D. Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine Moderator: Mary Anderlik Majumder, J.D., Ph.D. Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine
12:30 - 12:45	Break
12:45 - 1:45	Keynote	Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, Ph.D., A contributing op-ed writer for the New York Times, a lecturer at The Wharton School, and a former Google data scientist. His work focuses on using big-data sources to uncover previously hidden behaviors and attitudes. His book, Everybody Lies, was a New York Times bestseller and an Economist Book of the Year.
1:45 - 1:50	Closing Remarks	Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine
1:50 - 3	Virtual Poster Session	Call for Abstracts: Submissions are invited for a virtual poster session via Voice Thread. Submit your abstract and get further details on eligibility, evaluation criteria and instructions. Please submit only your abstract by May 3. If you are selected you will then receive further instructions on a rolling basis/no later than May 5 for finalizing and submitting your poster.

In partnership with the Gulf Coast Center for Precision Environmental Health, we hosted our annual, virtual, free event on May 4, 2022 from 9 - 3 p.m. CT.

Theme: Environmental Justice: how physical, social, and structural surroundings impact health

View Health and Science Policy Research Day 2022 Flyer

View Event Recordings

Agenda

Time	Panel	Speakers
9 - 9:05 a.m.	Opening Remarks	Paul Klotman, M.D., FACP, President, CEO and Executive Dean, Baylor College of Medicine
9:05 - 9:50 a.m.	How does criminal justice relate to environmental science?	Julie James, JD, Vice President of Criminal Justice, Arnold Ventures Chris Greeley, M.D., Vice-Chair of Community Health at Baylor College of Medicine Marc Robinson, M.D., Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine Moderator: Christi Guerrini, JD, Assistant Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine
9:50 - 10:35 a.m.	The health effects of environmental exposure to contaminants	Cheryl Walker, Ph.D., Alkek Presidential Chair in Environmental Health, Director, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Professor, Departments of Molecular and Cell Biology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine Drew A. Helmer, M.D., MS,, Deputy Director, Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Professor, Medicine, Health Services Research Rosie Torres, Co-founder of Burn Pits 360 Moderator: Mary Anderlik Majumder, JD, Ph.D., Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine
10:35 - 11:35 a.m.	Keynote - Clean energy, equity and philanthropy	Danielle Deane-Ryan, Director, Equitable Climate Solutions - Bezos Earth Fund, former Senior Advisor for External Affairs and Acting Director for Stakeholder Engagement at the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy; in conversation with Jean Raphael, M.D., MPH, Division Chief, Academic General Pediatrics, Director, Center for Child Health Policy and Advocacy, Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs, Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine
11:35 - 11:45 a.m.	Break
11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	Astro-ethics and policy: the ethics and justice issues surrounding space exploration and space governance	Dorit Donoviel, Ph.D., Director, Translational Research Institute for Space Health; Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology and the Center for Space Medicine Jennifer Fogarty, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer for the Translational Research Institute for Space Health at Baylor College of Medicine, Assistant Professor in the Center for Space Medicine Baylor College of Medicine Michael A. Williams, M.D., Professor, Director, Adult and Transitional Hydrocephalus and CSF Disorders, Neurology and Neurological Surgery at UW Medicine Moderator: Kristin Kostick, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine
12:30 - 1:15 p.m.	Maternal and infant health, mortality and the environment	Kjersti Aagaard, M.D., Ph.D., FACOG, Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Henry and Emma Meyer Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology Professor and Vice Chair of Research Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Professor, Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine Denae King, Ph.D., Associate Director, in the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice housed in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University. Carrey Eppes, M.D., Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Chair of the Texas Collaborative for Healthy Mothers and Babies, Chief of Obstetrics for Ben Taub Hospital Moderator: Faith Fletcher, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine
1:15 - 2:15 p.m.	Keynote: Communicating injustice through the powerful lens of documentary	Cedric Taylor, Visiting Associate Professor, Environmental Justice, Water, University of Michigan. Dr. Taylor is a public sociologist who employs documentary film, visual media, and storytelling to engage the wider community in conversations around inequality. He is the writer, director, and co-producer of Nor Any Drop to Drink: Flint’s Water Crisis; Laura Petersen, M.D., MPH, Director, Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety, Professor, Medicine-Health Services Research at Baylor College of Medicine will introduce him
2:15 - 2:20 p.m.	Closing Remarks	Amy McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor

This free, virtual half-day event was held on May 4, 2021. We focused on pioneering partnerships - taking a closer look at what's changed in health care partnerships with the pandemic, how industry, governments and communities are working together and what lies ahead. It included a keynote from Adm. Dr. Brett Giroir, M.D., 16th Asst. Sec. for Health at HHS, and panels featuring thought leaders from Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, University of Houston, Rice University, Episcopal Health Foundation, Harris Health System and more! See the full agenda.

View recordings of the event

Opening & Keynote (What does "good" government look like?) and Panel 1: Payers as key players
Panel 2: The community opportunity: models of community health and frontline care
Panel 3: New challenges, new opportunities: what’s next for academic medical centers? and closing remarks

View Submitted Health Policy Research Posters.

Agenda

Panel	Speakers
Opening	Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine
Keynote - What does "good" government look like?	Brett Giroir, M.D., 16th Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with James T. McDeavitt, M.D., SVP and Dean of Clinical Affairs at Baylor College of Medicine
Payers as key players	Elizabeth Youngblood, Chief Operating Officer and Division Senior Vice President, CHI Texas Division Richard Parker, Chief Medical Officer, Arcadia Heidi Schwarzwald, M.D. MPH, CMO, Aetna Better Health of Texas, Regional CMO ABH Moderator: Stephanie Morain, Ph.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor in the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine
Break
The community opportunity: models of community health and frontline care	LeChauncy D. Woodard, M.D., M.P.H., Director of the Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute at the University of Houston and a University of Houston College of Medicine professor Elena Marks, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Episcopal Health Foundation Quianta Moore, M.D., J.D., Huffington Fellow in Child Health Policy at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, Health Policy Scholar, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine Moderator: Jean Raphael, M.D., M.P.H., founding Director of the Center for Child Health Policy and Advocacy at Texas Children’s Hospital and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine
Break
New challenges, new opportunities: what’s next for Academic Medical Centers?	Paul Klotman, M.D., President, CEO and Executive Dean of Baylor College of Medicine Doug Lawson, Ph.D., CEO, St. Luke's Health and Senior VP of Operations, Texas Division, CommonSpirit Health Esmaeil Porsa, M.D., MBA, M.Ph., CCHP-A, President and CEO at Harris Health System Houston Moderator: Laura Petersen, M.D., M.P.H., FACP, Center Director, Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Associate Chief of Staff for Research (ACOS/R), Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. Professor, Department of Medicine, Chief, Section of Health Services Research, Baylor College of Medicine
Closing Remarks	Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine
Virtual Poster Session	Call for Abstracts: Submissions are invited for a virtual poster session via Voice Thread. Submit your abstract and get further details on eligibility, evaluation criteria and instructions. Please submit only your abstract by April 7. If you are selected you will then receive further instructions by April 13 for finalizing and submitting your poster, which is due April 28.

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Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy

Health Policy Symposium

Baylor Health Policy Symposium 2025

Register here!

Submit your Poster here!

Previous Health and Science Policy Day Events