ABSTRACT
The global express is barreling down the tracks. It is time for public health to move into the conductors position with the other engineers of the global express, politics, industry, commerce, and travel, to name but a few. There needs to be a reordering of the global conversation. Health as a voice was not heard in deliberations around the global trade agreements. It is rarely heard in national discussions about trade or commerce. Health authorities are consulted, albeit not routinely, in deliberations about product safety and recall decisions in the US. The fragmentation of the regulatory system at our own national level has been amply documented. It is an operational fact of bureaucratic life that is proving to be dangerous for the populations health. The systems need to be rationalized and strengthened. In particular, the epidemiologic competence of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is an underutilized resource in these processes.
