[Public health as a social innovation].

Public Health is a social innovation of the modes how society deals with health risks before and after their occurrence. In this paper the essence of this innovation is sketched out with regard to the four stages of the Public Health Action Cycle (assessment, policy formulation, assurance, evaluation). Based on both literature surveys and own research findings several critical aspects of innovation are identified at each of these stages. At present, the bottle-neck of the intended social innovation seems to be the implementation, stabilisation, and generalisation of interventions.