Distributive justice and global health: a call for a global corporate tax

Significant efforts have been directed toward addressing the financial needs of the developing world for assistance with public health and related development problems. Both public and private organizations have made considerable economic contributions to assist with immediate and long term health challenges, and there is growing international support for programs of national debit relief. Still, there is a need for additional resources to combat international health problems, which go beyond largesse. This paper calls for the creation of a legally rooted, global tax as a mechanism for consistent long term funding. Specifically, the paper proposes engagement of the World Trade Organization as a vehicle to sponsor a global tax on multinational corporations who have benefited most from the international trading scheme.