Global Public Health

Examining the New Frontiers of Commercial Determinants of Health

The commercial determinants of health (CDoH) is an emerging field that examines strategies and approaches used by corporate interests to promote products and choices that are detrimental to health. To date, the majority of CDoH literature has focused on the addressing the problem (corporate harm), highlighting key industry drivers (tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed foods) of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and providing case study examples from mainly high-income countries and researchers. This special article collection calls upon submissions that continue to examine corporate harm but explore the new frontiers of CDoH by analysing emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, technology, social media, planetary health, human rights, cross-industry practices, among others. This collection also calls upon more focus on solution-based and health equity focused efforts to combat CDoH (e.g. education, advocacy, internal industry document exposure, decolonial practices), other health harming industries (e.g. fossil fuel, pharmaceutical, gambling, firearms, cosmetics, infant formula), and CDoH case studies or assessments in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

There are various explanations or causal factors that determine one’s health and in general public health continues to focus on addressing the biological, behavioural, and social determinants of health. However, globally, five commercial products (fossil fuels, tobacco, ultra-processed foods, alcohol and chemicals used in commercial activity and pesticides) are key factors in 31% (approximately 21.2 million) of all deaths worldwide each year. Furthermore, two-thirds of all NCDs, which account for approximately 43 million deaths per year with 80% occurring in LMICs, are related tobacco use, alcohol misuse, unhealthy eating and physical inactivity. As a result, new solutions are needed to address corporate harm and the evolving nature of CDoH. This special article collection calls to examine current pressing issues of corporate harm but to expand efforts in the fields of medicine, political science, business, economics, law, communication studies, among others to fully address the multi-disciplinary and multi-dimensional nature of CDoH.

Articles submitted should include some examination of corporate harm and impact on public health or the environment with priority on emerging CDoH areas, CDoH solutions, and a focus on LMICs and other health harming industries. Topics and subtopics could include:

1) Industry focus: Tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed foods/drinks, fossil fuel, pharmaceutical, gambling, automotive, cosmetic, firearms, infant formula, etc
2) Discipline focus: Public health, medicine, political science, business, economics, law, communication studies, etc.
3) Emerging areas: Artificial intelligence, technology, social media, planetary health, human rights, cross-industry practices
4) Solution-based CDoH efforts: Health equity focused efforts and policy solutions, educational and curriculum efforts, advocacy strategies, internal industry document exposure, decolonial practices, etc

Keywords: Corporate harm, Health equity , Planetary health, Health policy, Health harming industries

Dr. Eric Crosbie is a political scientist who examines commercial determinants of health and public health policy. His research focuses on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and examines how commercial industries (tobacco, food and beverage, alcohol, pharmaceutical and fossil fuel) are a key driver of the NCD epidemic and how they influence public health regulations. Overall his research is multi-disciplinary combining elements of public health, political science, international relations, economics, law and business to examine public health policy both locally and globally.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo desk assessment and peer review if they can pass the desk assessments as part of our standard editorial process; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 14 May 2027.

Please contact Saniya Qureshi at saniya.qureshi@taylorandfrancis.com  with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.