THE U.S. COMMITMENT TO GLOBAL HEALTH

Recommendations for the New Administration

In 1997, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, America’s Vital Interest in Global Health: Protecting Our People, Enhancing Our Economy, and Advancing Our International Interests, brought to the American public and policy makers an appreciation for America’s direct stake in the health of people around the globe. A decade later, the IOM—with the support of four U.S. government agencies (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, and the National Institutes of Health) and five private foundations (the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Google.org, Merck Company Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation)—convened an expert committee to revisit the U.S. commitment to global health and articulate a fresh vision for future U.S. investments and activities in this area.

To coincide with the U.S. presidential transition, the committee prepared this report outlining the committee’s ideas for the U.S. government’s role in global health under the leadership of a new administration. The committee’s final report, scheduled for release in the spring of 2009, will more thoroughly address the vision for a renewed U.S. commitment to global health, and communicate specific recommendations, not just for the U.S. government, but also pertaining to foundations, academia, nonprofit organizations, and the commercial sector (henceforth referred to as the private sector).

The 1997 committee defined global health as encompassing “health problems, issues, and concerns that transcend national boundaries, and may best be addressed by cooperative actions.”¹ The present committee views global health not just as a state but also as the goal of improving health for all people by reducing avoidable disease, disabilities, and deaths. While global health encompasses the health of everyone (including U.S. citizens), this report focuses on how the U.S. government can best improve health in low- and middle-income countries.

The United States cannot achieve global health alone. Progress toward this goal requires the collaboration of all countries to develop, finance, and deliver essential and cost-effective health interventions. The United States can, however, lead by setting an example of meaningful financial commitments, technical excellence, and respectful partnership; this will go a long way toward achieving the globally recognized Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted by the United Nations (UN)

Front Matter (R1-R12)

Summary (1-30)

Notes (31-33)

Works Cited (34-40)