WHO Global Report on the Commercial Determinants of Health
About the Global Report
WHO is preparing the first WHO Global Report (hereafter Global Report) on the Commercial Determinants of Health. A follow-up to the World report on social determinants of health equity and its recommendations on analysing and addressing the commercial determinants of health, the aim of the Global Report is to clarify commercial determinants of health concepts and terminology, present the case for action, synthesise existing global evidence, and support countries with evidence-informed policy recommendations.
Work on the Global Report is continuing in 2025. When released, the Global Report will help WHO Member States to protect public health and safeguard against conflicts of interest while leveraging the potential of the business community.
Background
Social determinants
In line with the recommendations of the World report on social determinants of health equity, the Global Report supports implementation of the 2021 World Health Assembly Resolution WHA74.16 on Social Determinants of Health, which recognises that achieving health equity requires the engagement and collaboration of all sectors of government, all segments of society, and all members of the international community. It builds on previous resolutions, including WHA62.14 (2009), which noted the need to improve daily living conditions and to tackle the inequitable distribution of power, money and resources, and on the Member State pledge through the 2011 Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health to foster collaboration with businesses while safeguarding against conflicts of interest.
Other mandates
The Global Report also supports the WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work, which notes that “acting on social, economic, environmental and other determinants of health” requires addressing the increasing influence of commercial practices and agreements on health as part of preventing harm and fostering policy coherence and pro-health practices. This is aligned with the findings of the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All, whose final report stressed that acting on commercial determinants of health is a key policy lever in reorienting economies for health. It also follows specific WHA resolutions on areas with significant commercial determinants considerations, including tobacco, alcohol, road safety, physical activity, medicines and others.