**11.1 Human activity**

Above and beyond previously discussed topics, modern human activity has had a tremendous impact on both individual and population health and well-being [215]. Key etiological and inherently interrelated concepts include industrialization, globalization, information transfers, and social interactions. Each of these areas will now be discussed in greater detail.


When considering the above entities, a worrisome negative synergism becomes apparent. Moreover, the velocity and intensity of negative developments make compensation and adaptation difficult, and, too frequently, existing

**27**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93214*

effects from human activity are imperative.

widespread migration [245, 246].

**security concern**

infectious diseases, and human migrations [251].

Transportation, and the Department of State, among others.

**13. Pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution: a clear health** 

In 1982, seven people died in the greater Chicago, Illinois metropolitan area after consuming acetaminophen that had been intentionally laced with potassium cyanide [257]. While the response by the drug manufacturers has since been widely recognized and praised as a textbook case in corporate crisis and public relations management, the greater concern was the recognition of how vulnerable pharmaceuticals are to potential tampering and bioterrorism [258, 259]. As a result, the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) and Federal Government—working jointly with pharmaceutical manufacturers—established

**12. Planetary climate change: a health security threat**

*International Health Security: A Summative Assessment by ACAIM Consensus Group*

governing bodies are unable to effectively address any enduring impacts [232, 233]. Consequently, calls for a global coalition committed to preventing adverse health

Our planet is changing and evolving constantly, with continued climate transitions throughout the Earth's history becoming the scientifically accepted norm [234–236]. For the purposes of this discussion, we will refer to this complex set of phenomena simply as "planetary climate change" or PCC. Key areas affected by PCC include agriculture [237], forestry [238, 239], species migrations [240], vectorborne infectious diseases [241], urban air pollution [241], wind activity [75, 242], as well as changes in water availability [243]. Of importance, all of the above elements are closely interrelated, and it will be extremely difficult to elucidate any binary cause-and-effect relationships, making any debates around the topic of PCC both circumstantial and highly controversial. Beyond various direct and indirect effects of climate change on human health [244], it has been suggested that among the manifestations of the observed human response to PCC are armed conflict and

Perhaps one of the most impactful aspects of the current PCC trends is the emergence of increasing temperature variability [247], which can, in turn, create local weather conditions that regions of the planet may simply not be prepared to handle effectively [248, 249]. One of the proposed models suggests the emergence of "severe and widespread droughts in the next 30-90 years" [235, 250], with clear implications to other topics discussed in this review such as food security, emerging

Another important aspect of the overall management of PCC is the need to better understand any effects of solar (and even beyond that, cosmic) energetic inputs, with special focus on the relationship on such activity on the observed patterns of climate behavior [252, 253]. This includes the potential interplay between the Earth's magnetic field, solar output, and cosmic rays as climate modulators, including key determinants of various phenomena such as cloud formation [254–256]. Although far too vast—and inadequately understood—the topic of "planetary health" is by default the overarching determinant of human well-being and sustainability. In the United States, multiple organizations and agencies are involved in activities and actions revolving around PCC, including the Department of Agriculture, the US Agency for International Development, the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of

governing bodies are unable to effectively address any enduring impacts [232, 233]. Consequently, calls for a global coalition committed to preventing adverse health effects from human activity are imperative.
