Revisiting the Corporate and Commercial Determinants of Health

Am J Public Health. 2018 Sep;108(9):1167-1170. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304510. Epub 2018 Jul 19.

Abstract

We trace the development of the concept of the corporate determinants of health. We argue that these determinants are predicated on the unchecked power of corporations and that the means by which corporations exert power is increasingly unseen. We identify four of the ways corporations influence health: defining the dominant narrative; setting the rules by which society, especially trade, operates; commodifying knowledge; and undermining political, social, and economic rights. We identify how public health professionals can respond to these manifestations of power.

MeSH terms

  • Commerce*
  • Human Rights
  • Organizational Policy*
  • Politics
  • Public Health*
  • United States