BMC Medical Ethics invites submissions to our new Collection, Global health equity and ethics. The concept of global health equity encompasses the moral principles that guide health policies and practices aimed at reducing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes among different populations. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, ethical considerations surrounding health equity are more critical than ever.

Promoting health equity is an ethical imperative in public health. As social determinants continue to drive disparities, public health ethics and ethical advocacy are essential to ensuring that policies and interventions are not only effective but also just. We encourage research that confronts these ethical challenges and supports a more equitable healthcare landscape.

This Collection welcomes submissions that explore the ethical dimensions of health equity, examining the systemic barriers that marginalized populations face and how these barriers can be dismantled to promote equitable healthcare for all. Key topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to:

Ethical considerations in healthcare access

Addressing global disparities in health outcomes

Health justice and marginalized populations

Social determinants of health and health inequities

Policy implications for equitable healthcare

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

BMC Medical Ethics invites submissions to our new Collection, Digital determinants and ethical AI in global health. The integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare has transformed the landscape of global health, introducing new opportunities and challenges. As these technologies become more embedded in clinical practice and public health strategies, emphasizing the ethical implications surrounding their use is crucial.

Recent advancements have highlighted the necessity for algorithmic transparency and accountability, as well as the need for inclusive approaches to AI that prioritize health equity. With this, researchers are encouraged to contribute to a more equitable healthcare system that respects patient rights and fosters trust in digital health solutions. Embedding ethical considerations at the forefront of digital innovation, rather than treating them as secondary concerns, is critical to ensuring that emerging technologies do not reinforce existing health inequities.

This Collection examines the intersection of digital determinants and ethical AI, with particular attention to informed consent, algorithmic transparency, and the implications of emerging technologies for patient autonomy and healthcare equity. To ensure a genuinely interdisciplinary dialogue, we invite submissions from physicians, legal scholars, philosophers, engineers, computer scientists, data scientists, and other digital‑technology professionals. Key areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Informed consent in digital health
• Algorithmic transparency and accountability
• Equity and inclusion in AI healthcare solutions
• Bias in AI diagnostics and decision-making
• Ethical implications of data privacy in digital health
• The interaction between digital determinants and other determinants of health
• Digital literacy in global health projects
• The impact of large language models (LLMs) on global health and their role as digital determinants of health
• Emerging debates about AI in One Digital Health
• Ethical discussions on the sustainability of AI and the environmental effects of health digitalization at a global scale
• Comparative analyses of data governance models, AI, and other digital technologies in relation to their impacts on global health

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer-review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.