Global trade and health: key linkages and future challenges

Globalization of trade, marketing and investment has import ant implication s for public health, both negative and positive. This article considers the implications of the single package of World Trade Organization (WTO) agree ments for public health research and policy, focusing on three themes: comm odities, intellectual property rights, and health services. The main aims o f the analysis are as follows: to identify how trade issues are associated with the transnationalization of health risks and possible benefits; to ide ntity key areas of research; and to suggest policy-relevant advice and inte rventions on trade and health issues. The next wave of international trade law will need to take more account of global public health issues. However, to become more engaged in global trade debates, the public health communit y must gain an understanding of the health effects of global trade agreemen ts. It must also ensure that its own facts are correct, so that public heal th is not blindly used for political ends, such as justifying unwarranted e conomic protectionism. "Healthy trade" policies, based on firm empirical ev idence and designed to improve health status, are an important step towards reaching a more sustainable form of trade liberalization.