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20 August 2002
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WTO Agreements and Public Health – A joint study by the WHO
and the WTO Secretariat
The World Health Organization and the World Tr ade Organization Secret ariat published today a
joint study of the relationship between trade rules and public health.  The 171-page study WTO
Agreements and Public Health  explains how WTO Agreements relate to different aspects of health
policies.  It is meant to give a better insight into key issues for those who develop, communicateor debate policy issues related to trade and health.  The study covers areas such as drugs and
intellectual property rights, food safety, tobacco and many other issues which have been subject
to passionate debate.  In this joint effort, the first of its kind, WHO and the WTO Secretariatendeavour to set out the facts.
In their foreword, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO Director-General, and Mr. Mike Moore, WTO
Director-General,  confirm that "there is much common ground between trade and health."  But
they also send the message that "health and trade policy-makers can benefit from closer
cooperation to ensure coherence between their different areas of responsibilities."
The study explains that countries have the right to take measures to restrict imports or exports of
products when this is necessary to protect the health of humans, animals or plants.  Whenliberalizing services, they retain the right to regulate in order to meet national policy objectives, in
areas such as health.  Eight specific health issues are covered - infectious disease control, food
safety, tobacco, environment, access to drugs, health services, food security as well someemerging issues, such as biotechnology – and, in each case, examples of challenges and
opportunities in implementing coherent trade and health policies are provided.
"WTO Agreements are sensitive to health issues.  In fact, health concerns can take precedence
over trade issues.  If necessary, governments may put aside WTO commitments in order to protect
human life.  And, according to WTO jurisprudence, human health has been recognized as being'important in the highest degree,'" concludes Mi guel Rodríguez Mendoza, Deputy Director-General
and the principal coordinator for the WTO.
"Good public policy must be based on sound evid ence", adds Andrew Cassels, Director of WHO’s
Strategy Unit.  "This study highlights areas where trade and health linkages deserve more careful
analysis. It also highlights benefits that are possible when trade and health officials work closelytogether."