What role does the World Health Organization (WHO) play in global health ethics?

The World Health Organization (WHO) is instrumental in establishing and promoting international ethical standards in health promotion. This responsibility encompasses guiding principles and frameworks designed to ensure that health initiatives are conducted ethically and equitably, particularly in areas such as disease prevention, treatment accessibility, and health policy formulation. By facilitating a collaborative approach to health ethics, WHO ensures that global health efforts respect human dignity, equity, and justice, which are essential for effective health promotion.

While the organization may engage in various supportive roles such as providing guidance on health policies or influencing healthcare practices globally, its core mission in the context of global health ethics is very much focused on setting these ethical benchmarks that countries can follow to enhance their public health efforts.

In contrast, other choices relate to functions that are not central to WHO’s mission. The provision of financial support typically comes from different organizations or partnerships rather than WHO itself. WHO does not primarily oversee regulatory compliance for medical devices, which is usually handled by national regulatory bodies. Although WHO may conduct or support research, performing clinical research is not its primary function; instead, it focuses on facilitating collaboration and sharing results from research conducted by others.