This scoping review examines how the global arms industry operates as a commercial determinant of health, systematically mapping peer-reviewed literature (2004–2024) using a commercial determinants of health (CDoH) framework. Analyzing 41 studies, the authors found marketing, political, and supply chain/waste practices most frequently documented, while financial, labour, reputational management, and scientific practices were underexplored. Research disproportionately focused on the US small arms and light weapons sector, with major conventional weapons, nuclear weapons, and low- and middle-income countries largely neglected. The review identified new practices beyond existing typologies and highlighted blurred boundaries between corporate and state actors. The authors conclude that greater public health scrutiny of the arms industry is needed, comparable to attention given to tobacco, alcohol, and other health-harming industries, to strengthen governance and accountability.
