A report is given of the work of a group convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) to address the issues related to the development of Model Health Care Programs (MHCPs), and to apply the principles thus identified to the case of a specific health problem--low back pain. A discussion of the principles of the development of MHCPs includes consideration of motivation for developing the program, types of program models, the content of an MHCP, and criteria for selecting health problems. The problem of low back pain is used as an example of a health issue that is responsive to the functions of an MHCP program at both local and national levels. Appended are descriptions of the Finnish model health care program project which was developed to deal with the problem of strokes. (JD)