Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #119695

Doug Farquhar, JD, National Conference of State Legislatures, 7700 East First Place, Denver, CO 80230, 303-364-7700, doug.farquhar@ncsl.org

Trade agreements permit globalization to occur. Countries enter into these agreements to expand markets for goods and services, while allowing for new or less expensive goods for domestic markets. These agreements are negotiated to allow for the countries to trade the greatest amount of product possible. Other concerns, such as the health and safety of workers and consumers or impact on the environment, receive little if any comment during the negotiations. The former head of the World Trade Organization stated that the WTO is creating "a new constitution for the world," one without any role for health, safety and environmental concerns. One without any role for state and local health, safety and environmental laws. This session will identify the legal and political limitations in trade agreements that hinder public health and environmental safety. It will highlight challenges to state and federal environmental laws, and discuss how such challenges may be applied to public health laws. Finally, the session will discuss the steps public health practitioners can take to preserve current law that protects the public's health.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand how trade agreements are redefining public health policy.
• Be able to recognize and identify trade implications in public health law and policies.
• Know how to construct policies that will be less suspect to challenges from international trade agreements.
• Be able to development policies that protect public health law from trade challenges.

Keywords: Policy/Policy Development, Legislative

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation