How to Research Commercial Determinants

Research on the commercial determinants of health (CDOH) has grown exponentially since Ilona Kickbusch, the fairy earthmother of the field, wrote the first peer-reviewed article naming it in 2012. You can see the curve through 2022 in Google Books Ngram Viewer.

And, so far, 2026 has been huge for publications relating to the ways that big business harms people and planet and what to do about it. By the start of September, Google Scholar registered 980 peer reviewed articles, surpassing 2023 and 2024 year-end totals of 920 and 951, respectively. CDOH is on track to beat the 2025 record of 1,360 pubs by the end of this year. 

Still, we need more people doing (and continuing to do) this important work. So, in this edition of Commercially Determined, we are sharing resources for existing and aspiring researchers of commercial determinants. Whether you are just starting out or are a seasoned CDOH pro, use this Q&A list to help guide your next steps:

Want to know how to focus your work so it can make a big contribution? Start with this 2020 CDOH research agenda proposed by some of the heavy hitters in the field, like Nino Paichadze and Adnan Hyder of the Center on CDOH. The agenda addresses commercial determinants of non-communicable diseases but the outlined conceptual domains and pathways by which industry impacts health are relevant across health topics. Also peruse this 2021 piece outlining priorities relating to CDOH led by Nicholas Freudenberg (arguably the fairy earthfather of the field in the U.S.). This conceptual review (and great historical overview) points towards needed research and action on commercial determinants. While some of the topics the two papers identify are well underway to being addressed (e.g., various corporate activities were well defined in the 2023 Lancet special issue led by Anna Gilmore, Jennifer Lacy-Nichols, Sharon Friel, and others), there is still plenty to advance. To see what gaps the field of CDOH still needs to close, you can also consult this 2024 systematic review led by Raquel Burgess that characterizes research to date.