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How the health and rights framework evolved and how that affects clinical research

Abstract
While the World Health Organization's (WHO) constitution defined "the highest attainable standard of health" as "a fundamental right of every human being" as early as 1946, it was not until the late 1980s, amidst the AIDS pandemic, that WHO representatives developed the "Health and Human Rights Framework" as a lens through which to understand and address inequalities in the global burden of disease. While the concept itself met with broad and rapid approval, several factors made it difficult to operationalize in health delivery. Beginning in the early 2000s, however, practitioners have made important strides in operationalizing these concepts in ways that have positively influenced local and global health delivery. This talk explores the development of "health and human rights" concepts over time, giving particular attention to the implications they have on drug research, clinical research ethics, the pharmaceutical industry, and the right to access medicines.

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Presentation