Most people believe the World Health Organization (WHO) was simply created by the United Nations in 1948 to promote international health cooperation. While that’s technically true on paper, the real story behind WHO’s formation reveals a much deeper and more troubling influence.
At the heart of this story lies the Rockefeller Foundation, a powerful entity that shaped the entire concept of “global health” long before WHO even existed.
In the early 1900s, John D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest men in history and founder of Standard Oil, turned his attention to medicine. His goal? To create a “scientific” medical system, driven by technology, pharmaceutical drugs, and centralized institutions.
The Flexner Report of 1910, funded by Rockefeller and Carnegie money, transformed medical education in the U.S. by:
Shutting down hundreds of homeopathic and natural medicine schools
Promoting pharmaceutical-focused, allopathic medicine
Standardizing medical curricula across the country
This report didn’t just reshape U.S. medicine—it became a global model.
Shortly after, the Rockefeller Foundation launched international health campaigns via its International Health Division, targeting diseases like malaria, hookworm, and yellow fever.
This division:
Operated in over 80 countries
Pioneered mass vaccination campaigns
Created public health bureaucracies in developing nations
The Foundation also funded medical schools and research institutions worldwide, molding a generation of doctors trained in pharmaceutical medicine.
Though the WHO was officially founded by UN member states in 1948, its structure, philosophy, and approach to health were directly modeled after Rockefeller’s International Health Division.
“The WHO was inspired by the work of the Rockefeller Foundation and its International Health Division, which had pioneered global disease control.”
The Rockefeller Foundation was also instrumental in forming predecessor institutions like the League of Nations Health Organization, paving the way for WHO’s eventual creation.
The Rockefeller Foundation remains deeply involved in global health:
In 2023, it launched a $5 million partnership with WHO’s Pandemic Hub to expand global disease surveillance.
It continues to fund programs related to vaccines, climate-related health threats, and digital health infrastructure.
While not officially controlling WHO, the Rockefeller Foundation’s money, models, and ideology continue to shape its direction.
Sources :
1. The Story of the Rockefeller Foundation by Raymond B. Fosdick (official institutional history)
2. Rockefeller Foundation Annual Reports (available online)
3. Rockefeller Archive Center – Contains original documentation of medical