WHO International Health Regulations and human rights: from allusions to inclusion

As a response to an increasing threat of infectious diseases in the globalised world (e.g. SARS, H1N1 influenza, Ebola, MERS, Poliovirus), the World Health Organization adopted a reinvigorated version of the International Health Regulations in 2005. The regulations empower the WHO Director-General to proclaim a public health emergency of international concern and issue temporary recommendations of health measures to states parties. However, although the regulations and related health measures inevitably touch upon human rights of affected individuals, the regulations contain but a few allusions to the international human rights framework. The aim of this article is to include the international human rights regime in the system for the fight against infectious diseases under the regulations.