Brownstone Institute Releases Landmark Reports on Health Sovereignty

International Health Reform Project (IHRP) Calls for WHO Reform and a New Framework Grounded in National Sovereignty, Medical Ethics, and Subsidiarity

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, March 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Health Reform Project (IHRP), an initiative of the Brownstone Institute, has released two reports: The Right to Health Sovereignty (policy report) and the IHRP Technical Report (supplementary research volume).

The reports were developed over more than one year by a panel of 11 independent experts from multiple countries with backgrounds in public health, medicine, law, philosophy, economics, and international relations. The panel is co-chaired by David Bell, MD, and Ramesh Thakur, former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General. Panel members include Roger Bate, Garrett Wallace Brown, Héctor Eduardo Carvallo, Thi Thuy Van Dinh, Harriet Green, Youssoupha Ndiaye, Reginald Oduor, Wellington Oyibo, and Elisabeth Paul.

The reports address the human rights and ethical basis for public health cooperation. They examine principles on which international cooperation in public health should be based and outline what an ideal multilateral International Health Organization (IHO) should look like. The documents review the World Health Organization (WHO) against this framework, together with its organizational structure and funding. Topics covered include national sovereignty, medical ethics, subsidiarity, human rights norms and laws, public health principles, governance structures, funding models, accountability mechanisms, capacity building, and management of cross-border health issues.

The reports come at a pivotal moment. Several nations, including the United States and Argentina, have signaled intent to reconsider or withdraw from the WHO amid ongoing negotiations on amendments to the International Health Regulations and the proposed Pandemic Agreement.

The policy report, The Right to Health Sovereignty, presents a framework for international health collaboration. It discusses subsidiarity in decision-making, national ownership, and supportive roles for international institutions in areas such as technical assistance, transparent data sharing, and norm-setting. The accompanying IHRP Technical Report provides the background research, historical analysis, detailed references, and supplementary information supporting the policy report. The technical report includes sections on key concepts in public health, the history of international public health, an analytical framework for an ideal international health organization, and a review of relevant structures and processes.

A statement included in the reports reads: “International cooperation on health is a widely accepted global good. Capacity building and development assistance reduce historic health inequalities and, as a result, strengthen economies. Management of cross-border infectious disease threats is best done through joint surveillance, data sharing, and response.”

The full reports are available for download at:

* Project overview: https://brownstone.org/ihrp/
* The Right to Health Sovereignty (policy report): https://brownstone.org/articles/the-right-to-health-sovereignty/ and PDF at https://brownstone.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/right_to_heath_sovereingty.pdf
* IHRP Technical Report: https://brownstone.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IHRP-Technical-Report-FINAL-23Mar26.pdf

The policy report is also available in print and digital formats on Amazon.

About the International Health Reform Project (IHRP)
The IHRP is a multidisciplinary and multinational initiative convened by the Brownstone Institute. It brings together experts to examine principles and frameworks for international public health cooperation.

About Brownstone Institute
Brownstone Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 dedicated to research and education in public health, economics, philosophy, and social theory.

Jeffrey A. Tucker
Brownstone Institute
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