Authority of WHO

[rlmueller]

Are companies required to follow WHO standards?
Does the WHO have authority to implement its standards and recommendations?

I don't have an answer to these questions but I suspect know. Are there any experts out there who can speak to this?

[PatioGardener]

The WHO puts forwards standards, codes etc. and then countries decide wether to adopt them or not. I think there are 2 levels - countries can say they agree but there is no legal backup, or they can make give the resolution legal standing (please someone add to this if you can!)

Ultimately it is up to the country to adopt the code, to make it legal and to police it.

[Sagesgirl]

The World Health Organization has exactly as much power as the United Nations. Which is to say, exactly as much as it is allowed to have. There is no inherent legal power in anything the WHO puts forth.

The US has not given any legal weight to the WHO's code for marketing formula. So all the complaints about US companies not adhering to the code are unfortunately meaningless. I gather from this site that many other countries have given this code legal standing. I'd like to see us do the same, but it's forever going to be sacrificed at the altar of personal choice. We can't tell anyone their choice is less than optimal, even if it is.