According to a new report from The Brookings Institution, The Political Mapping of China’s Tobacco Industry and Anti-Smoking Campaign, the high prevalence of tobacco use in China is not only the country’s single most serious public health problem, but also constitutes the ultimate test case for the global tobacco control campaign. While China’s remarkable economic growth over the past three decades has been one of the most amazing miracles of our time, the country has also gained a reputation as “the smoking dragon” due to its rapidly growing tobacco industry and ongoing smoking-related health crisis. The anti-smoking campaign in China, despite daunting challenges and deep-rooted institutional barriers, has the potential—and the unprecedented opportunity—to change the course of the tobacco epidemic within China and in the world. The drafting of a political map of China’s tobacco industry and its main stakeholders is essential for the next phase of the campaign.
FDA calls for new regulations for drug compounders
The New York Times reports that the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration on called on Congress to empower the agency to better police compounding pharmacies like the one at the center of a national meningitis outbreak. But Republican lawmakers pushed back, arguing that the agency has enough authority, leaving it unclear whether the House would support efforts to increase oversight. The Times had previously disclosed that despite two decades of dire health warnings, the industry has until now fought off tougher federal oversight with the help of powerful allies in Congress.
Towards a new model for pharmaceutical research
An editorial in the November issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization claims that despite considerable investments in research and development (R & D), and the availability of powerful scientific and technological tools, innovation in the pharmaceutical industry has declined drastically in the last decade. In addition, most of the new molecules introduced into the market do not entail genuine therapeutic innovations or target the diseases that prevail in developing countries. Most importantly, the prices charged for new pharmaceutical products are unaffordable to the poor and, increasingly, to patients and social security systems, even in developed countries. The editorial describes a new effort to start multilateral negotiations for the possible adoption of a binding convention on health R & D.
NY appeal court: Shooting victim may sue gun maker
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that a former high school athlete, who was shot in 2003, may sue the companies that made and distributed the handgun used in the crime. The suit brought an appellate court ruling that gun control advocates say will keep irresponsible gun makers and sellers from taking advantage of a federal law shielding them from lawsuits. The ruling by the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s 2011 dismissal of victim Daniel Williams’ complaint, which accused Ohio gun maker Hi-Point and distributor MKS Supply Inc. of Ohio of intentionally supplying handguns to irresponsible dealers because they profited from sales to the criminal gun market.
Raising of minimum alcohol prices in Saskatchewan, Canada reduces consumption
A Canadian study on minimum-alcohol pricing published online in the American Journal of Public Health found that a 10% increase in minimum prices significantly reduced consumption for all such beverages combined by 8.43%. There were larger effects for purely off-premise sales (e.g., liquor stores) than for primarily on-premise sales (e.g., bars, restaurants). Consumption of higher strength beer and wine declined the most. A 10% increase in minimum price was associated with a 22.0% decrease in consumption of higher strength beer versus 8.17% for lower strength beers. The neighboring province of Alberta showed no change in per capita alcohol consumption before and after the intervention. The authors concluded that minimum pricing is a promising strategy for reducing the public health burden associated with hazardous alcohol consumption. Pricing to reflect percentage alcohol content of drinks can shift consumption toward lower alcohol content beverage types.
EU urged to press ahead with tobacco crackdown amid lobbying scandal
Leading doctors are calling on the government to lean on the European commission to press ahead with the promised tough new tobacco products directive, in spite of the resignation of the EU health commissioner and a growing scandal in Brussels around alleged tobacco industry influence, reports the Guardian. The commissioner John Dalli has revealed that he was forced to resign by the European commission president, José Manuel Barroso, following an investigation by the EU anti-fraud office into a complaint by a Swedish tobacco company. The company, Match, which makes the EU-banned smokeless tobacco product “snus,” alleged that a compatriot of Dalli’s had offered to arrange meetings with the commissioner for money. Dalli denied meeting any lobbyist.
Abbott suspends giving gifts to doctors in India
Reuters reports that Abbott Laboratories has instructed its sales representatives in India not to give gifts to doctors, who are prohibited by local law from accepting them, a practice that has been used as a bargaining chip by companies wanting a piece of the country’s burgeoning healthcare market. Public health experts say gift-giving leads to dangerous over-prescribing and unnecessary use of expensive medications when cheaper versions are available. That can be a significant burden for the 400 million people in India who live on less than $1.25 a day.
Food and beverage industry pays for seat at Pan American Health Organization’s health-policy table
A new investigative report from Reuters found that the Pan American Health Organization has for the first time in its 110-year history taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in money from the food and beverage industry. Accepting industry funding goes against WHO’s worldwide policies. Its Geneva headquarters and five other regional offices have been prohibited from accepting money from the food and soda industries, among others. “If such conflicts of interest were perceived to exist, or actually existed, this would jeopardize WHO’s ability to set globally recognized and respected standards and guidelines,” said spokesman Gregory Härtl.
European Court Criticizes EU regulatory agencies on oversight of conflicts of interest
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) has sent a highly critical message to four of the EU agencies in a report published today, condemning their failure to manage conflicts of interest adequately. The Court has carried out an investigation into conflict of interests policies at the European aviation safety agency (EASA), European chemicals agency (ECHA), European food safety agency (EFSA) and the European Medicines agency (EMA). The EASA came out worst in the score report, but significant shortcomings were identified at EMA and EFSA as well.
Meningitis for sale: US pharmacists point to sketchy corporate practices
In its continuing coverage of the meningitis outbreak Reuters reports that workers from a Massachusetts company owned by the drug manufacturer linked a recent US meningitis outbreak claimed they helped prepare dangerous narcotics in unsafe conditions. A series of emails revealed the connection between the two firms. Technicians and pharmacists at Ameridose, a drug manufacturing company neighboring the New England Compounding Center (NECC), which shares owners with Ameridose, told the New York Times they had safety concerns about the drugs they were producing.
Corporations and Health Watch 