This third webinar explored the impact of the digital and commercial Determinants of Health on health and health equity, including the role of Big Tech in both digital health and virtual spaces, the specific challenges arising in regulating marketing and tackling misinformation, and the role for greater health and digital literacy. It explored how to govern for the commercial determinants of health in a fast-moving, global and increasingly digital environment.
Agenda
Welcome and introductions:
- Etienne Krug, Director, Social Determinants of Health, WHO
- Alain Labrique Director, Digital Health, WHO
Keynote presentation:
- Sandro Galea, Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor, Boston University, USA
Roundtable:
- Parminder Jeet Singh, Executive Director, IT for change, India
- Nerima Were, Deputy Executive Director and Head of Programmes, KELIN, Kenya
- Mimi Tatlow-Golden, Co-Director, Centre for Children and Young People's Wellbeing, United Kingdom
- Neville Calleja, Director, Department of Health Information & Research, Ministry for Health, Malta
- Birgit Kainz-Labbé, Coordinator, Civic Space Unit, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Webinar Chair and Moderator:
- Jeanette Vega, Former Minister of Social Development and Family, Chile
Conclusions and close
- Monika Kosinska, Head, Economic and Commercial Determinants of Health, WHO
Why
One of the key priorities identified for WHO is the need to raise awareness and understanding of the commercial determinants of health, their impact, and effective action for policymakers to address them. Therefore, WHO has launched a series of webinars for a diverse audience that will explore the evidence base for commercial determinants of health, how they manifest in practice, and potential actions at different levels and by different actors.
Participants
WHO encourages the participation of a diverse global audience including public-interest civil society organizations, academic experts and students, donors and philanthropic partners, policymakers at a national and local level, WHO staff across levels, regions and programmes and UN agencies.
Further information
Please see the WHO Health topic page on the Commercial Determinants of Health the WHO Factsheet on Commercial Determinants of Health or contact the WHO Secretariat at cdoh@who.int for further information.
Resources and tools
- EU Health Data Space
- Health data governance principles
- UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
- UN Human Rights Council Treaty on transnational corporations and human rights
- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on Internet Shutdowns
- Open WHO training on infodemic management
- Overview of social media listening tools