Global Public Health: Should the Trade Forum Reign?

Abstract

Access to public health is a basic human right. Now the World Trade Organization, which is a trade forum, has a substantial role in regulating access to public health internationally. This is unfortunate since the motivating factor in the trade forum is trade concern rather than human right concern. Besides, trade forum is dominated by the developed country members and the health concern of the developing countries usually goes unattended. The World Health Organization, which is bound by its Constitution to ensure universal access to public health should intervene and use international law as an instrument to fulfil its obligation. In this paper is addressed the issue whether the trade forum should be allowed to reign the terrain of public health and the responsibility of the WHO in ensuring universal access to medicine using international law.