The health effects of economic sanctions and embargoes: The role of healthprofessionals

As a widely used tool of foreign policy, economic sanctions take many forms . They include mandating trade restrictions (for example, limiting imports from or exports to a sanctioned nation), freezing bank accounts, limiting i nternational travel to and from an area, imposing additional tariffs, and e xerting other pressures that are intended to slow key economic activities. Since the end of the Cold War, as the global market has expanded, many coun tries and the United Nations have increasingly used economic sanctions inst ead of military intervention to compel nations to end civil or extraterrito rial war or to reduce abuse of human rights. Similarly, the United States h as attempted to influence international governments' domestic policies by u sing other economic means, such as relating "most favored nation" trading s tatus to a country's human rights record or prohibiting the import of goods from countries in which illegal child labor is widespread. Repercussions from these measures influence a country's economic developmen t and, therefore, can also affect the overall welfare of a nation's populat ion. In contrast to war's easily observable casualties, the apparently nonv iolent consequences of economic intervention seem like an acceptable altern ative. However, recent reports suggest that economic sanctions can seriousl y harm the health of persons who live in targeted nations. For this reason, the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine h as undertaken this examination of physicians' roles in addressing the healt h effects of economic sanctions.