Public-private health partnerships : a strategy for WHO

Following early success with a number of high-profile partnerships, WHO is increasingly working with the private for-profit sector. In so doing, the organization finds itself in the maelstrom of a vibrant debate on the roles of public, civic, and commercial entities in society and on the appropriate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2001-01, Vol.79 (8), p.748-754
Main Authors: BUSE, Kent, WAXMAN, Amalia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Collaboration
Communicable Diseases - drug therapy
Conflict of interest
Conflicts of interest
Cooperation
Cooperative Behavior
Corporate image
Drug Industry - economics
Drug Industry - organization & administration
Health Policy & Services
Human rights
Humans
Industry
International agencies
Intersectoral cooperation
Medical sciences
NGOs
Nongovernmental organizations
Organizational Affiliation
Organizational Policy
Pharmaceutical industries
Pharmaceutical industry
Private sector
Private Sector - organization & administration
Public health
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Public private partnerships
Public Sector - organization & administration
Social responsibility
Tobacco
Vaccines
Working groups
World health
World Health Organization
World Health Organization - organization & administration
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Summary:Following early success with a number of high-profile partnerships, WHO is increasingly working with the private for-profit sector. In so doing, the organization finds itself in the maelstrom of a vibrant debate on the roles of public, civic, and commercial entities in society and on the appropriate modes of interaction among them. This paper examines WHO's involvement with the commercial sector, particularly in partnerships. WHO's approach to this sector is outlined and the criticisms levelled at public-private partnerships are reviewed. An indication is given of the steps recently taken by WHO to confront the concerns that have been expressed. The paper argues that partnership between WHO and the commercial sector is inevitable and that it presents considerable opportunities, but also significant risks, for the organization and for public health. A strategy is proposed for directing the debate on issues critical to WHO and its role in the promotion and protection of public health.
ISSN:0042-9686
1564-0604
DOI:10.1590/S0042-96862001000800011