Publication

This commentary discusses the usefulness of the World Health Organization’s “Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel” for recruiting health professionals from developing countries. Using Germany's experience as an example, it argues that this code does not offer clear guidelines for industrialized countries seeking to recruit health professionals while avoiding negatively impacting health provision in their countries of origin. It also shows that, in addition to some inconsistencies, the code's list of states with a “critical shortage” of health professionals is outdated and unreliable. The authors conclude with recommendations on how to achieve a fair and balanced approach for managing international health care migration.