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Paraná Bans Smoking in Areas Intended for Children
Monday, November 24th, 2008Synopsis in English: The governor of the southern Brazilian state of Paraná just signed a law that bans smoking inside vehicles transporting children or at any commercial establishment or event intended for children. The new instrument is considered a complement to Paraná’s 2005 law on smoking in public places. In all probability other Brazilian states [...]
New Cigarette Health Warnings/Images in Chile
Wednesday, October 1st, 2008A couple of weeks back Chile’s Health Ministry (Minsal) announced a new warning that, according to a new decree just published in the official gazette, all cigarette packs placed on the Chilean market must bear starting on 16 November.
Chile, it appears, has decided to forgo the shock treatment approach that Brazil and Uruguay have adopted. [...]
New Tough Pack Images for Cigarettes in Uruguay
Saturday, September 20th, 2008At the end of August the Public Health Ministry (MSP) of Uruguay ordered five new images and accompanying text which must be placed on packaging of cigarettes. The image must occupy 50% of one of the two main faces of the pack, the accompanying text, 50% of the other main face. Manufacturers of cigarettes must [...]
Implications of the World Cancer Declaration for LAC
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008The World Cancer Congress recently concluded with by adopting the World Cancer Declaration (WCD), a global plan of action to combat cancer, particularly in developing countries such as those of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
The Declaration has already been endorsed by hundreds of organizations, including many health ministries (such as Chile’s) and other bodies [...]
A mortalidade de não-fumantes expostos à fumaça do tabaco / The Mortality of Non-smokers Exposed to Tobacco Smoke
Thursday, September 4th, 2008Synopsis in English: Just before Brazil’s National Day to Combat Tobacco (29 August) the National Cancer Institute (INCA) released a study on “Mortality Attributable to Passive Smoking in the Brazilian Population.” The first study of its kind in Brazil and one of the first worldwide served as backdrop to the National Day’s theme this year, [...]
Toward a Caribbean Public Health Agency
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008Over the last three decades, the nations of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have developed a series of small health-related institutions for different tasks, spread out over different member states. In recent years some member governments have questioned the wisdom and cost-effectiveness of having such compartmentalization.
And some have even dared to wonder aloud if [...]
The Disease Burden Associated with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008Last month the World Health Organization (WHO) released, without much fanfare, Safer Water, Better Health, its estimate of how many deaths or how much “disease burden” can be attributed to deficiencies in water, sanitation and hygiene (WSH).
Access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation is key to improving health conditions in developing countries. Water-related diseases [...]
Promoting Local Production of Cancer Medicines
Wednesday, July 9th, 2008A few years back, I engaged someone I know in the research-based pharmaceutical industry in a discussion of the raging debate over whether developing countries would impose compulsory licensing of key patented (by multinational companies) drugs for the treatment of life-threatening conditions such as HIV/AIDS and cancer, followed by either local production or importing generics [...]
Cancer Agency: Smoke-Free Policies Work
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008From the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC):
SMOKE-FREE POLICIES EFFECTIVE, SAYS INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER
Smoke-free policies reduce the exposure of both adults and children, reduce the prevalence of smoking in adults and reduce the risk of heart disease related to smoke exposure. A resulting reduction in the lung cancer burden may well [...]
Tackling Chronic Diseases in the Caribbean / Atacando enfermedades crónicas en el Caribe
Thursday, September 27th, 2007From the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO):Campaign against Chronic Diseases Set for the CaribbeanA major new campaign to fight chronic disease in the Caribbean is getting underway in an effort to stem "the worst epidemic of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease in the Americas," with the participation of [...]
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