The PHLR Program

The Public Health Law Research (PHLR) Program was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) national program office from 2009 to 2016.

The PHLR Program was responsible for promoting effective regulatory, legal and policy solutions to improve public health, and was tasked by RWJF to build the field of public health law research (also known as legal epidemiology).

Over eight years, the program funded 81 grantees for about $13.5 million. The grantee researchers produced studies published in major public health, law and industry journals, covered by major media outlets domestically and internationally, and worked with policymakers and their staff to testify on important issues relating to health and law or policy. The evidence-based products produced by the PHLR grantees can be found in the Evidence Library.