The need for policy coherence between trade and health has never been greater, yet few public health workers are equipped to navigate this complex field. This book aims to fill this gap, providing a focused and readable introduction to the topic. It introduces the principles underpinning trade treaties and examines the implications of trade rules for health services and access to medicines, unhealthy commodities, labour rights and the environment. It explores the trade policy making process, methods for trade and health research, and recommendations for strengthening policy coherence.

Non-communicable diseases, associated with risk factors such as tobacco consumption, poor diet and alcohol use, represent a growing health burden around the world. The seriousness of non-communicable diseases is reflected in the adoption of international instruments such as the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health; and the WHO Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol. In line with these instruments, states are beginning to use measures such as taxes, restrictions on marketing, product regulation and labeling measures for public health purposes. This book examines the extent to which the law of the World Trade Organization restricts domestic implementation of these types of measures. The relationship between international health instruments and the WTO Agreement is examined, as are the WTO covered agreements themselves.

Faced with evolving trade and health dynamics, this book presents a historical, conceptual, and empirical examination of public health and medical procurement in international trade law at a time of emergency. The work argues that the current trade framework is outdated and must be redesigned to suit the new needs of the 21st century. It identifies critical problems within the current international trade system that prevents it from effectively responding to pandemics, as well as to the emerging digital economy. Based on the analysis, the study puts forward specific suggestions to upgrade the current trade rules framework to prepare for future international public health emergencies and further digitalization of health services. The book will be a valuable resource for academics, researchers and policy-makers working in the areas of International Trade Law, Public Health Law and Medical Law.

The need for policy coherence between trade and health has never been greater, yet few public health workers are equipped to navigate this complex field. This book aims to fill this gap, providing a focused and readable introduction to the topic. It introduces the principles underpinning trade treaties and examines the implications of trade rules for health services and access to medicines, unhealthy commodities, labour rights and the environment. It explores the trade policy making process, methods for trade and health research, and recommendations for strengthening policy coherence.

This study has emerged from an ongoing program of trilateral cooperation between WHO, WTO and WIPO. It responds to an increasing demand, particularly in developing countries, for strengthened capacity for informed policy-making in areas of intersection between health, trade and IP, focusing on access to and innovation of medicines and other medical technologies.

Faced with evolving trade and health dynamics, this book presents a historical, conceptual, and empirical examination of public health and medical procurement in international trade law at a time of emergency. The work argues that the current trade framework is outdated and must be redesigned to suit the new needs of the 21st century. It identifies critical problems within the current international trade system that prevents it from effectively responding to pandemics, as well as to the emerging digital economy. Based on the analysis, the study puts forward specific suggestions to upgrade the current trade rules framework to prepare for future international public health emergencies and further digitalization of health services. The book will be a valuable resource for academics, researchers and policy-makers working in the areas of International Trade Law, Public Health Law and Medical Law.

Around the world, policymakers and civil society are debating how economic and trade policies shape public health. This edited collection adds a new dimension to this debate. It synthesizes research from a variety of disciplines to analyse how the liberalization of international trade affects reproductive health and rights. Case studies from Mexico, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Egypt illuminate how trade-related changes in women’s employment influence their reproductive needs and capacities. The book demonstrates how global and national trade policies affect the quality, quantity, and cost of reproductive health services. Contributors also explore the implications of the World Trade Organization and the various trade agreements under its purview for reproductive health services and rights. Ultimately, this collection addresses the key policy issues for advocates of both reproductive health and rights and economic justice, and shows how trade agreements weighted against the poor in the South have very specific gendered consequences. This book is aimed at an inter-disciplinary audience of economists, public health professionals, demographers, sociologists, anthropologists, and women’s studies specialists. It will also be of interest to policymakers and representatives of civil society organizations working on health, economic justice, and employment issues.