Many of the challenges in the distribution of health and health care presented by recent globalization trends are different in nature from some of the
historical challenges, due to the speed with which people, goods, services, culture, and ideas travel the globe. But the profound technological, cultural and social changes associated with globalization also pro- vide unique opportunities, for example with respect to improved knowledge sharing and, based on that, better-informed and more thoughtful policymaking. In the face of these overwhelming global health challenges, as legal advocates and scholars we must do more than simply proclaim the importance of health- related human rights. We need to rigorously research the short- and long-term impacts of different legal tools, honing our institutional responses to address global health challenges. We need to critically assess successes and failures of global legal interventions, harvesting the new communication and technological means to share our findings. We hope that this special issue contributes in a modest way to make health care rights work for those who need them the most.