Book reviews

Global Health: Ethical Challenges co-edited by Gillian Brock FRSNZ has just been published with Cambridge University Press. Addressing global health, one of the largest challenges facing humanity this century, is becoming an ever more formidable task with the accelerated destruction of the planet and the ongoing  COVID-19 pandemic. Building upon the successful first edition, this 500-page volume outlines how progress towards improving global health relies on understanding its core social, economic, political, environmental and ideological aspects. Multi-disciplinary authors suggest theoretically compelling arguments for what we must do, providing practical recommendations for promoting global and planetary health despite contemporary constraints. The importance of cross-cultural dialogue and utilisation of ethical tools in tackling global health problems is emphasised. Updated, new or expanded topics include: mass displacement of people; novel threats, including new infectious diseases; global justice; child health; gender equality; the extractive industry; philanthrocapitalism; big data and AI; ecological ethics; and planetary sustainability. Offering a diverse range of perspectives, this book is essential for bioethicists, public health practitioners and philosophers.

Colleagues have made these comments about the work:

‘Solomon Benatar and Gillian Brock have put together the broadest engagements with the central ethical challenges posed by the evermore encompassing field of global health. A huge achievement!’ - Arthur Kleinman, Harvard University Professor and author of The Soul of Care.

‘It is one of the finest examples of an interdisciplinary text that will be of great value as we try to navigate the current crisis in global public health.’ - Lesley Doyal, Emeritus Professor of Health and Social Care at the School for Policy Studies at the University of Bristol.

View the book launch, which was held last week in Toronto, Canada.