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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2011 Nov 1;102(6):410–413. doi: 10.1007/BF03404188

Population and Public Health Ethics in Canada: A Snapshot of Current National Initiatives and Future Issues

Sarah M Viehbeck 14,, Ryan Melnychuk 24, Christopher W McDougall 34, Heather Greenwood 14, Nancy C Edwards 14
PMCID: PMC6973607  PMID: 22164547

Abstract

To date, some work has been undertaken to define a code and stewardship framework for public health ethics. However, gaps in our understanding and application of ethics to the field of population and public health (PPH) remain. This paper presents the approach to building capacity for PPH ethics by three national-level organizations: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Institute of Population and Public Health, the National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy, and the Public Health Agency of Canada. By first looking at each of the organizations’ respective activities and then across organizations, we synthesize our common approaches, highlight future directions and pose questions aimed at stimulating dialogue about the role of, and challenges confronting, the emerging field of PPH ethics in Canada.

Key words: Public health, population health, ethics, capacity building

Footnotes

Conflict of Interest: None to declare.

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