I. The issue

Knowledge obviously is, and always has been, central to all development in health. Because knowledge itself is such a wide and general concept, it is encountered in many different manifestations and has many facets. All forms of knowledge tend to be subject to commercial as well as public (that is, government and other non-profit organization) interest. In addition, knowledge relating to health is even more varied because it is often invested in the community in the form of traditional knowledge, which coexists along with various forms of “modern ” medical knowledge. Because of its universal applicability, knowledge is often termed the ‘archetypal ’ public good (Stiglitz, 1999). Clearly, therefore, it is important to consider knowledge from the perspective of being a GPGH. Knowledge and technology relevant for health covers a very wide area, and includes knowledge about the following elements: • understanding health risks and patient characteristics • preventive actions, both individual and public • diagnostic procedures and practice