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The 171-page study WTO Agreements and Public Health explains how WTO
Agreements relate to different aspects of health policies. It is meant
to give a better insight into key issues for those who develop,
communicate or debate policy issues related to trade and health. The
study covers areas such as drugs and intellectual property rights,
food safety, tobacco and many other issues which have been subject to
passionate debate. In this joint effort, the first of its kind, WHO
and the WTO Secretariat endeavour to set out the facts.
In
their foreword, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO Director-General, and
Mr. Mike Moore, WTO Director-General, confirm that “there is much
common ground between trade and health”. But they also send the
message that “health and trade policy-makers can benefit from closer
cooperation to ensure coherence between their different areas of
responsibilities”.
The
study explains that countries have the right to take measures to
restrict imports or exports of products when this is necessary to
protect the health of humans, animals or plants. When liberalizing
services, they retain the right to regulate in order to meet national
policy objectives, in areas such as health. Eight specific health
issues are covered — infectious disease control, food safety,
tobacco, environment, access to drugs, health services, food security
as well some emerging issues, such as biotechnology — and, in each
case, examples of challenges and opportunities in implementing
coherent trade and health policies are provided.
“WTO
Agreements are sensitive to health issues. In fact, health concerns
can take precedence over trade issues. If necessary, governments may
put aside WTO commitments in order to protect human life. And,
according to WTO jurisprudence, human health has been recognized as
being 'important in the highest degree,” concludes Miguel Rodríguez
Mendoza, Deputy Director-General and the principal coordinator for the
WTO.
“Good
public policy must be based on sound evidence”, adds Andrew Cassels,
Director of WHO’s Strategy Unit. “This study highlights areas
where trade and health linkages deserve more careful analysis. It also
highlights benefits that are possible when trade and health officials
work closely together”.
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“WTO Agreements and Public Health”
> Download in pdf
format (175 pages, 788 KB)
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