Investigating the Role of International Law in Controlling Communicable Diseases

Aliasghar Kheirkhah,Manuchehr Kheirkhah,Somayeh Zabihi-Mahmoodabadi

doi:10.24200/imminv.v1i2.35

Abstract

International law globally plays a key role in the surveillance and control of communicable diseases. Throughout the nineteenth century, international law played a dominant role in harmonizing the inconsistent national quarantine regulations of European nation states; facilitating the exchange of epidemiological information on infectious diseases; establishing international health organizations; and standardization of surveillance. Today, due to changed forms of infectious diseases and individuals' lifestyles as well as individuals' proximity caused by increased air travels, communicable diseases are in an international and cross-border form. In this regard, binding regulations and inconsistent rules adopted in international multilateral institutions like the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization can be of great use in surveillance and control of communicable diseases. With the globalization of public health, international law can be used as an essential tool in monitoring global health and reducing human vulnerability and mortality.

Highlights

Since the inception of international law in the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 until the mid-nineteenth century, it was widely believed that diseases did not come within the normative confines of international law; the rapid transmission of the cholera outbreak within 1830-1847 in Europe facilitated the formation of the first multilateral surveillance of communicable diseases (1)
Due to changed forms of infectious diseases and individuals’ lifestyles as well as individuals’ proximity caused by increased air travels, communicable diseases are in an international and cross-border form. In this regard, binding regulations and inconsistent rules adopted in international multilateral institutions like the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization can be of great use in surveillance and control of communicable diseases
International Law in Controlling Communicable Diseases important topic in the international law and their ramifications traverse a range of multilateral regimes including International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization, Agreements of the World Trade Organization (WTO) (TRIPS), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and so on

Summary

Introduction

Since the inception of international law in the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 until the mid-nineteenth century, it was widely believed that diseases did not come within the normative confines of international law; the rapid transmission of the cholera outbreak within 1830-1847 in Europe facilitated the formation of the first multilateral surveillance of communicable diseases (1). Key words Disease Outbreak, International Law, World Health Organization, Epidemiological Surveillance International law globally plays a key role in the surveillance and control of communicable diseases.

Results

Conclusion