The World Health Organization's 1993 consultation on health futures ex
amined the field from perspectives of the macro-environment, health st
atus, health resources, emerging health technology, alternative care s
ystems, and tools for health futures research. The consultation produc
ed numerous suggestions about how WHO could promote and support health
futures work. Among the ideas now being implemented are new efforts i
n global surveillance of infectious diseases, the publication of healt
h futures articles, the establishment of an electronic health futures
bulletin board, and preparation of a handbook for health futures studi
es.