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July 7–13, 2012
This Week in Medicine
Evidence-based policy The UK Cabinet Office has released a report outlining the benefits of using randomised controlled trials to assess public policy interventions. The report, compiled by the Behavioural Insights Team in collaboration with other researchers, argues that randomised trials “are the best way of determining whether a policy is working”.
Thai AIDS strategy Thailand has announced a new AIDS strategy, in line with UNAIDS’s Get to zero initiative (zero new infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths). The strategy will focus on better prevention and on the socioenvironmental factors that hinder access to HIV services. The strategy aims to reduce new HIV infections by 66% by 2015.
Silent crisis A report, supported by several relief agencies and presented to the European Parliament, asks for an EU strategy on how to deliver an effective response to the global problem of undernutrition. Undernutrition causes a third of deaths in children younger than 5 years, and micronutrient deficiencies affect people in high-income as well as low-income countries.
Food fund The UN World Food Programme, which aims to feed 108 million people in 74 countries this year, is facing “dangerous and unprecedented” funding shortfalls, according to the agency’s Executive Director Josette Sheeran. Effects have been felt worldwide, particularly in Africa, where refugees in Malawi, Uganda, and Tanzania have already seen their rations halved.
Dim ysmygu Although the proportion of adults who smoke in Wales went down from 40% in 1978 to 23% in 2010, a renewed effort is needed to meet the target of 16% by 2020, according to a new report from the Public Health Wales Observatory and the Welsh Government. Smoking in young pregnant women was highlighted as a particular subject of concern.
Good advice The US Preventive Services Task Force has issued new guidance on the screening and treatment of obesity, recommending that all obese individuals be referred to intensive behavioural interventions at diagnosis. It also recommends that all individuals in primary care (irrespective of cardiovascular risk) receive counselling to promote a healthy diet and active lifestyle.
Grassroots gathering The third People’s Health Assembly is taking place on July 6–11, in Cape Town, South Africa. 1200 international participants are expected to take part in the assembly, which has been organised by the People’s Health Movement—a grassroots health advocacy network. Key themes include universal coverage and the social and environmental determinants of health.
Afghan improvements A cluster survey of all 34 Afghan provinces has revealed overall improvements in access to clean water, sanitation, and education for boys and girls, but with wide differences between rural and urban areas. Areas that had broader access to education for women also showed striking improvements in indicators such as child mortality.
Time, please 12 of Australia’s sporting organisations, including those representing swimming, soccer, and cycling, will cease to accept alcohol company sponsorship, instead receiving a cut of government alcohol tax revenue. However, the very biggest groups, representing Australian-rules football, rugby league, and cricket, will retain their sponsorship deals.
Mark Tuschman/UNFPA
Unequal rights A report backed by the UK Government has accused Israel of breaching the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. British lawyers visiting the West Bank found that military law applies to Palestinian children, whereas criminal and civilian law applies to Israeli minors. Israeli children can be detained without charge for up to 40 days, but Palestinian children for 188 days.
World Population Day July 11 is World Population Day, and the UN Population Fund will be hosting events all around the world to bring attention to the issue. One of the main focuses is ensuring universal access to reproductive health services worldwide. Nearly a quarter of a billion women have no access to family planning services, and nearly 800 women die giving birth every day. www.thelancet.com Vol 380 July 7, 2012
For more on free HIV testing in pharmacies see http://www. cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/ NHTDPressRelease2012.html For the report on children in military custody in Israel see http://www. childreninmilitarycustody.org/ For the report on global undernutrition see http:// pa-international.org/Time_for_ Leadership_Report.htm For World Population Day see http://www.unfpa.org/public/ world-population-day/ For the report on use of randomised trial evidence in public policy see https://update. cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resourcelibrary/test-learn-adaptdeveloping-public-policyrandomised-controlled-trials For the US guidance on screening for obesity see http://www. uspreventiveservicestaskforce. org/uspstf/uspsobes.htm For the US guidance on prevention of cardiovascular disease see http://www. uspreventiveservicestaskforce. org/uspstf/uspsphys.htm For Afghanistan’s latest multiple indicator cluster survey see http://cso.gov.af/en/ page/6807 For more on Thailand’s new AIDS strategy see http://www. unaids.org/en/resources/ presscentre/featurestories/2012/ june/20120622thaizero/ For the report on smoking in Wales see http://www.wales.nhs. uk/sitesplus/922/page/59800 For the People’s Health Assembly see http://www. phmovement.org/en/pha3
Corbis
Getty Images
Check up and check out A 2-year pilot programme by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began last week, offering free, rapid HIV tests in selected Walgreen drugstores. The CDC estimates that 1·1 million Americans have HIV, but that nearly 20% are unaware. The programme aims to make diagnosis more convenient and accessible.
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Evidence-based policy The UK Cabinet Office has released a report outlining the benefits of using randomised controlled trials to assess public policy interventions. The report, compiled by the Behavioural Insights Team in collaboration with other researchers, argues that randomised trials “are the best way of determining whether a policy is working”.
Thai AIDS strategy Thailand has announced a new AIDS strategy, in line with UNAIDS’s Get to zero initiative (zero new infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths). The strategy will focus on better prevention and on the socioenvironmental factors that hinder access to HIV services. The strategy aims to reduce new HIV infections by 66% by 2015.
Silent crisis A report, supported by several relief agencies and presented to the European Parliament, asks for an EU strategy on how to deliver an effective response to the global problem of undernutrition. Undernutrition causes a third of deaths in children younger than 5 years, and micronutrient deficiencies affect people in high-income as well as low-income countries.
Food fund The UN World Food Programme, which aims to feed 108 million people in 74 countries this year, is facing “dangerous and unprecedented” funding shortfalls, according to the agency’s Executive Director Josette Sheeran. Effects have been felt worldwide, particularly in Africa, where refugees in Malawi, Uganda, and Tanzania have already seen their rations halved.
Dim ysmygu Although the proportion of adults who smoke in Wales went down from 40% in 1978 to 23% in 2010, a renewed effort is needed to meet the target of 16% by 2020, according to a new report from the Public Health Wales Observatory and the Welsh Government. Smoking in young pregnant women was highlighted as a particular subject of concern.
Good advice The US Preventive Services Task Force has issued new guidance on the screening and treatment of obesity, recommending that all obese individuals be referred to intensive behavioural interventions at diagnosis. It also recommends that all individuals in primary care (irrespective of cardiovascular risk) receive counselling to promote a healthy diet and active lifestyle.
Grassroots gathering The third People’s Health Assembly is taking place on July 6–11, in Cape Town, South Africa. 1200 international participants are expected to take part in the assembly, which has been organised by the People’s Health Movement—a grassroots health advocacy network. Key themes include universal coverage and the social and environmental determinants of health.
Afghan improvements A cluster survey of all 34 Afghan provinces has revealed overall improvements in access to clean water, sanitation, and education for boys and girls, but with wide differences between rural and urban areas. Areas that had broader access to education for women also showed striking improvements in indicators such as child mortality.
Time, please 12 of Australia’s sporting organisations, including those representing swimming, soccer, and cycling, will cease to accept alcohol company sponsorship, instead receiving a cut of government alcohol tax revenue. However, the very biggest groups, representing Australian-rules football, rugby league, and cricket, will retain their sponsorship deals.
Mark Tuschman/UNFPA
Unequal rights A report backed by the UK Government has accused Israel of breaching the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. British lawyers visiting the West Bank found that military law applies to Palestinian children, whereas criminal and civilian law applies to Israeli minors. Israeli children can be detained without charge for up to 40 days, but Palestinian children for 188 days.
World Population Day July 11 is World Population Day, and the UN Population Fund will be hosting events all around the world to bring attention to the issue. One of the main focuses is ensuring universal access to reproductive health services worldwide. Nearly a quarter of a billion women have no access to family planning services, and nearly 800 women die giving birth every day. www.thelancet.com Vol 380 July 7, 2012
For more on free HIV testing in pharmacies see http://www. cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/ NHTDPressRelease2012.html For the report on children in military custody in Israel see http://www. childreninmilitarycustody.org/ For the report on global undernutrition see http:// pa-international.org/Time_for_ Leadership_Report.htm For World Population Day see http://www.unfpa.org/public/ world-population-day/ For the report on use of randomised trial evidence in public policy see https://update. cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resourcelibrary/test-learn-adaptdeveloping-public-policyrandomised-controlled-trials For the US guidance on screening for obesity see http://www. uspreventiveservicestaskforce. org/uspstf/uspsobes.htm For the US guidance on prevention of cardiovascular disease see http://www. uspreventiveservicestaskforce. org/uspstf/uspsphys.htm For Afghanistan’s latest multiple indicator cluster survey see http://cso.gov.af/en/ page/6807 For more on Thailand’s new AIDS strategy see http://www. unaids.org/en/resources/ presscentre/featurestories/2012/ june/20120622thaizero/ For the report on smoking in Wales see http://www.wales.nhs. uk/sitesplus/922/page/59800 For the People’s Health Assembly see http://www. phmovement.org/en/pha3
Corbis
Getty Images
Check up and check out A 2-year pilot programme by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began last week, offering free, rapid HIV tests in selected Walgreen drugstores. The CDC estimates that 1·1 million Americans have HIV, but that nearly 20% are unaware. The programme aims to make diagnosis more convenient and accessible.
i