An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action for the Twenty-First Century is a 2008 memoir written by James Orbinski M.D., the former international president of Médecins Sans Frontières.

[1][2][3] The book expands upon points made by Orbinski in 1999 when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières, specifically the importance of humanitarian organisations remaining independent from political forces.

[4] The story follows Orbinski as he works in disease outbreaks and conflict zones around the world including in Afghanistan, Chechnya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Peru, Kosovo, Somalia, Sudan, and Zaire.

[5] The narratives stresses the importance that humanitarian organisations retain independence from political forces and publicly condemn human rights abuses.

An Imperfect Offering critiques the pharmaceutical companies and regulatory environment they operate within for their failure to ensure that people in low income countries get the medicine they need.