PETRA commissioned a review of the legal, public health and economic literature to see how international trade law and trade and investment agreements could be used to support public health policies. The authors find that health protections can be incorporated in a range of ways. These include: ensuring good regulatory practice to limit vested interests, including a recognition of the importance of public health in agreement preambles and excluding investor-state dispute mechanisms from the treaty. However, the authors warn that such protections can only be achieved through greater collaboration between disciplines.
Protecting noncommunicable disease prevention policy in trade and investment agreements. Bull WHO 2022; 100(4): 268–275