Human rights and other provisions in the revised International Health Regulations (2005)

In May 2005, the World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted the revised International Health Regulations (2005), which have now entered into force for WHO Member States across the globe. These Regulations contain a broad range of binding provisions to address the risks of international disease spread in international travel, trade and transportation. Important elements include multiple provisions, whether denominated in terms of human rights or other terminology, that are protective of interests of individuals who may be subject to public health measures in this international context. With the vast (and increasing) numbers of persons undertaking international voyages and the global coverage of these revised Regulations, they are an important development in this area. This article describes a number of these key provisions and some of the related issues they present.