IPSA’s Research Committee 25 Renamed “Politics Of Health Policy” To Reflect Expanded Scope

IPSA’s Research Committee 25 (RC25) has officially changed its name from Comparative Health Policy to Politics of Health Policy.

The proposal was unanimously approved at the RC25 board meeting on 1 October 2025 and at IPSA’s 150th Executive Committee meeting on 15 November 2025. It reflects the committee’s aim to more accurately represent the breadth of research being conducted in the field and to better serve scholars working on the political dimensions of health and well-being. By adopting a broader scope, RC25 seeks to foster greater engagement from researchers studying diverse aspects of health politics, including topics such as OneHealth, Health in All Policies (HiAP), universal health care, social and commercial determinants of health, transnational health governance, evidence-informed policymaking, and the influence of key interest groups. While RC25 will continue to welcome comparative health policy research, expanding the committee’s focus will open opportunities for scholars whose work does not rely solely on comparative methods.

With this renewed mandate, RC25 aims to strengthen international scholarly collaboration on the politics, influence, and outcomes of health policy. The Research Committee also highlights the relevance of its work to IPSA’s broader research community, noting strong connections with existing RCs focused on comparative methods, public policy, democratization, federalism, and governance.