Whether considered as a value or formulated as a principle to guide actions, reciprocity is commonly appealed to in public health to help ensure that certain obligations due to others – or to be expected from others – may be taken into account and acted upon by public authorities or by individuals. It is one of the values commonly considered when applying an ethical lens to decisions and actions linked to public health or healthy public policies. The goal is to render the notion of reciprocity accessible so that it can be put to use to inform thinking and influence policiesand actions.

This summary document, based on a longer paper of the same name, captures some of the main dimensions of reciprocity and offers some questions for reflection to help bring the concept into practice. To have a look at the longer version, click here.

Summary – The Principle of Reciprocity: How Can it Inform Public Health and Healthy Public Policies?
3 pages