Local Health and Global Profits researchers warn that the health of mothers and children is being put at risk by the commercial activities of large multinational corporations.

While World Health Organization data indicates that social determinants such as living conditions and air quality account for up to 50% of health outcomes, there has been limited scrutiny of how commercial determinants influence maternal and child health, despite their importance to population health and wellbeing.

New research lead by Professor Mark Hanson, with contributions by researchers including Professor Anna Gilmore and Dr Nason Maani, explores how the commercial determinants of health, which includes the actions of health harming industries, help to shape maternal heath across the globe.

In a new article for Nature Portfolio’s NPJ Women’s Health, researchers focus on two key factors described as ‘acts of commission’ and ‘acts of omission’. Acts of commission are the outputs of major health harming industries such as tobacco products, fossil fuels and alcohol. Acts of omission cover those areas where commercial activity focuses on profit rather than on the needs of society. For example, funding for pharmaceutical research that prioritises the most profitable medicines. They also highlight the tactics used by health harming industries to promote products and prevent regulation that may affect their sales.

Drawing on this evidence, the authors recommend that maternal health is regarded as a fundamental priority for population health. Governments, policymakers, universities and civil society groups are urged to tackle conflicts of interest to support stronger public health policy-making, fiscal rules and research investment.

The authors conclude:

Recognising and tackling the adverse commercial determinants of maternal health will benefit individuals, and is morally correct, but will also promote human social, economic and environmental potential.

Read the full article at https://doi.org/10.1038/s44294-025-00090-y