Ecuador’s justice system has ordered the elimination of a supreme decree that reduced and even eliminated specific taxes on ultra-processed foods, tobacco, alcohol, weapons, and plastics, to ensure compliance with the right to health.
This elimination underscores the need for the government to adjust tax policies to support public health initiatives.
The goal of this determination is to support improved access to health services by reallocating resources through a fairer tax system.
The authors highlight the implications of this ruling for both tax policy and public health in Ecuador, since an equitable taxation system is very important for advancing health rights and reducing inequalities in access to health services.