International Health Regulations

International Health Regulations 2005 are legally binding regulations (forming international law) that a) aim to assist countries to work together to save lives and livelihoods brought about by the spread of diseases and other health risks, and b) which avoid unnecessary interference with international trade and travel.

The purpose and scope of IHR 2005 are to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease in ways that are commensurate with and restricted to public health risks, and which avoid unnecessary interferences with international traffic and trade. (Art. 2, IHR 2005)

The International Health Regulations Evolution

The International Health Regulations has its origin from the International Sanitary Regulations adapted at the International Sanitary Conference in Paris in 1851. The cholera epidemics that hit Europe in 1830 and 1847 made apparent the need for international cooperation in public health. In 1948, the World Health Organization Constitution came about. The Twenty-Second World Health Assembly (1969) adopted, revised and consolidated the International Sanitary Regulations and was renamed the International Health Regulations 1969. The Twenty-Sixth World Health Assembly in 1973 amended the IHR 1969 in relation to provisions in cholera. In view of global eradication of small pox, the Thirty-fourth World Health Assembly amended the IHR 1969 to exclude small pox in the list of notifiable diseases.

During the Forty-Eighth World Health Assembly in 1995, WHO and Members States resolved the need to revise the IHR 1969. The revision of IHR 1969 came about because of its inherent limitations, most notably:
* "narrow scope of notifiable diseases" (cholera, plague, yellow fever). [http://www.who.int/features/qa/39/en/index.html] The past few decades have seen the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases. The emergence of “new” infectious agents Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever and the re-emergence of cholera and plague in South America and India, respectively;
* "dependence on official country notification"; and
* "lack of a formal internationally coordinated mechanism" to prevent the international spread of disease.

These challenges were placed against the backdrop of the increased travel and trade characteristic of the 20th century.

The Principles Embodying the IHR 2005

The implementation of IHR 2005 shall be:
# With "full respect for the dignity, human rights and fundamental freedom" of persons;
# Guided by the "Charter of the United Nations and the Constitution of the World Health Organization";
# Guided by the "goal of their universal application for the protection of all people" of the world from the international spread of disease;
# States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, "the sovereign right to legislate and to implement legislation" in pursuance of their health policies.In doing so, the should "uphold the purpose of these Regulations". (Art 3. IHR 2005)

References

* [http://www.who.int/csr/ihr/current/en/index.html International Health Regulations 1969] . Third Annotated Edition, WHO, 1983
* [http://www.who.int/csr/ihr/en/index.html International Health Regulations 2005] . WHO. Geneva. 2006
* World Health Organization, Communicable Diseases Surveillance and Response, Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response [http://www.who.int/csr/ihr/howtheywork/faq/en/index.html Frequently Asked Questions about International Health Regulations]
* Lawrence O. Gostin, "International Infectious Disease Law, Revision of the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations", Journal of the American Medical Association, June 2, 2004, at 2623. [http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/291/21/2623?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=international+health+regulations&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT]