Neocolonialism and epidemiology

The International Conference on Health Research for Development celebrated last year in Bangkok provided the stimulus for a special issue of the BMJ related to global health and the governance of global health research was discussed. Several papers emphasised the need to turn round the inequitable nature of health research. The effect on health research of the interests and conditions posed by the international funding bodies was considered also as an important concern.

There is a general agreement on the need in producing high quality research that tackles the major …