In the current era of globalization, the world is diversifying as never before. Inequalities in economic, social, spiritual, political and civil matters characterise daily life. Estimates consider 80% of global disease burden lies in "developing" or low-income countries, based on crude calculations by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) [1]. And measures do not seem to be in place to redress these inequalities. For instance, the Commission on Health Research Development estimated, albeit several years ago, that 90% of all global research and development expenditure is dedicated to 10% of the world's disease burden, primarily concentrated in wealthier countries [2]. Today, there may be a new climate of awareness maturing. Governments representing "developed" or high-income countries often discuss the urgent need to help the world's poorest or rescue the "bottom billion" from devastating illness [3-4]. However the optimistic rhetoric is not always matched by foreign policy and international trade agreements (consider TRIPS [5], the World Trade Organization's Trade-Related Aspects of International Property Rights Agreement consolidating strict patent rules worldwide with significant impact on access to essential medicines). The following perspective provides a comprehensive overview of the right to health and proposes a human rights-based approach to health as a sustainable framework that transcends borders for justice in healthcare.