Abstract
One of WHO’s core functions is to articulate “ethical and evidence-based policy options” for its Member States, placing ethics at the core of WHO’s work. Since its establishment in 1948, various programs of WHO have addressed ethical issues that arise in a broad range of health topics. The Global Health Ethics Unit, WHO’s focal point for ethics, provides WHO’s Member States and their public health programs with guidance on ethical issues that arise in their policies. The Unit develops global guidelines on ethics and collaborates with Member States in capacity-building activities. This entry first describes the mission and functions of Global Health Ethics and the history of health ethics at WHO, then discusses the main areas of work, such as public health ethics, pandemic response, and research ethics, and finally informs about the main partnerships.
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Further Readings
UNAIDS and WHO. (2013). Guiding principles on ethical issues in HIV surveillance. UNAIDS/WHO Working Group on Global HIV/AIDS and STI Surveillance. Geneva
WHO and UNAIDS. (2013). Ethics of PrEP and early initiation of art for prevention: How should countries reach a decision? Geneva
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Reis, A., Saxena, A. (2016). WHO. In: ten Have, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09483-0_444
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09483-0_444
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