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The Future of Population Health
Quarterly Article
Centennial Issue Commercial Determinants of Health
Nicholas Freudenberg
September 2022
June 2021
December 2020
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Policy Points:
Since emerging as a concept in the first years of the 21st century,1–3 the term commercial determinants of health has gained growing attention from researchers, public health professionals, and activists. Defined simply in 2013 as “factors that influence health which stem from the profit motive,”4 the commercial determinants of health (CDH)1 framework has the potential to inform public health policy, practice, and research that can more effectively overcome the most serious public health challenges of the current era. In this Perspective, I describe the strengths and accomplishments of this framework, analyze its limitations, and suggest directions for CDH research, practice, policy, education, and leadership.