SEA – PAN Oceania Congress and Conference 2026: New Horizons in Health Law and Ethics

Bali, Indonesia | June 2026

 

We are pleased to announce SEA-Oceania Conference: New Horizons in Health Law and Ethics, a premier event dedicated to fostering a critical dialogue on the future of health governance in Southeast Asia and Oceania.

 

In an era of rapid technological advancement, unprecedented global health challenges, and evolving societal values, our legal and ethical frameworks are being tested as never before. The diverse regions of Southeast Asia and Oceania, with their unique legal systems, diverse cultural contexts, and shared challenges, stand at the forefront of this transformation.

 

This conference will serve as a vital platform for scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and ethicists to convene, exchange critical insights, and collectively navigate the complex landscape ahead.

 

Thematic Focus: New Horizons

The theme “New Horizons” invites participants to look beyond current paradigms and explore the next frontier of health law and ethics sphere. We aim to move beyond traditional boundaries to address the innovative, emerging, and often disruptive issues shaping the future of health so in accordance with SDG 3, good health and well-being. Key discussion themes will include, but are not limited to:

 

Public Health Law

1. Access to healthcare facilities (population-distance ratios, capacity).

2. Healthcare financing and availability (e.g., national and private health insurance; BPJS).

3. Legal frameworks for infectious disease control and response.

4. Availability, distribution, and regulation of the health workforce.

5. Provision of primary, secondary, and tertiary care facilities.

6. Cross-border health policies, including immigration, quarantine (human, animal, plant), and regional health governance.

 

Private Health Law

1. The Patient-Physician Relationship: Rights, responsibilities, and liabilities.

2. The Patient-Hospital Relationship: Admission, care, and discharge.

3. Hospital Law and Corporate Governance:

4. Physician credentialing and privileging.

5. Economic credentialing, antitrust, and professional boycotts.

6. Corporate negligence and institutional liability

7. Hospital bylaws, medical staff bylaws, and legal risk management.

8. The liability of institutions, physicians, and AI in diagnostics and treatment.

 

Medical Professional Law, Ethics, and Self-Regulation

1. Informed consent in theory and practice.

2. End-of-life decisions: The right to die, euthanasia, and physician-assisted suicide.

3. Decision-making for near-death patients and refusal of medical treatment.

4. The role and limits of professional self-regulation.

5. Legal and ethical frameworks for medical research on human subjects.

 

Health Criminal Law

1. Criminal      provisions      in      healthcare      (specifically      excluding      professional negligence/malpractice).

2. Criminal liability for omission, abandonment, or willful neglect.

3. Intentional acts causing harm or allowing patient suffering without medical intervention.

4. The criminal status of abortion and euthanasia.

 

Health Administration Law

1. Implementation of public health policies (in hospitals, community health centers, and via AI).

2. Implementation of health administration policies, especially about national health insurance policy.

3. The balance between state-led regulation, self-regulation, and professional autonomy.

4. Licensing, certification, and accreditation frameworks for healthcare professionals and facilities.

5. Administrative   law governing pharmaceuticals, medical        devices, and Health Technology Assessment (HTA).

6. Governance of national health information systems (HIS) and administrative data management.

7. Legal frameworks for public procurement in the health sector.

8. Administrative dispute resolution mechanisms in healthcare (e.g., patient grievance boards, administrative tribunals

 

International Health Law

1. The role of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the application of the International Health Regulations (IHR).

2. The proposed new “Pandemic Treaty” and the future of global pandemic preparedness and response.

3. The intersection of international trade law and health (e.g., TRIPS Agreement, access to essential medicines and vaccines).

4. Implementation of the “Right to Health” under international human rights treaties.

5. Legal frameworks for global health security, surveillance, and international data sharing.

6. The role of international law in addressing cross-border health threats, including climate change-related health impacts.

7. Governance of global medical supply chains and international cooperation in health emergencies.

 

Who Should Attend?

This conference is essential for:

• Legal scholars and academics

• Practicing health lawyers and legal professionals

• Healthcare practitioners (physicians, nurses, allied health)

• Hospital and healthcare administrators

• Public health officials and government policymakers

• Bioethicists and members of ethics committees

• Researchers and postgraduate students

• Insurance agency

• AI and medical robotics manufacturer, medical technician

 

Our Goal

Join us for this crucial conversation. Together, we will challenge existing assumptions, foster regional to international collaboration, and help chart a progressive and equitable course for health law and ethics in Southeast Asia and Oceania