title: International public health law: not so much WHO as why, and not enough WHO and why not?
abstract: To state the obvious, "health matters", but health (or its equitable enjoyment) is neither simple nor easy. Public health in particular, which encompasses a broad collection of complex and multidisciplinary activities which are critical to the wellbeing and security of individuals, populations and nations, is a difficult milieu to master effectively. In fact, despite the vital importance of public health, there is a relative dearth of ethico-legal norms tailored for, and directed at, the public health sector, particularly at the international level. This is a state of affairs which is no longer tenable in the global environment. This article argues that public health promotion is a moral duty, and that international actors are key stakeholders upon whom this duty falls. In particular, the World Health Organization bears a heavy responsibility in this regard. The article claims that better health can and must be better promoted through a more robust interpretation of the WHO's role, arguing that neither the WHO nor international law have yet played their necessary part in promoting health for all.
authors.affiliation: ESRC InnoGen and AHRC SCRIPT, University of Edinburgh, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL, Scotland, UK. shawn.harmon@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Shawn H E
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Harmon
mesh_terms: D014943:Global Health; D006293:Health Promotion; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011634:Public Health / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012935:Social Justice; D014944:World Health Organization