Abstracts » Health

Smoking out the policies

Article Abstract:

The UK government is keen to use all powers at its disposal to prevent children taking up smoking and to encourage adults to stop smoking. However, it will not go as far as to dictate to people about how they should lead their lives, and for this reason there will not be a total ban on tobacco. It has also dropped specific targets for reducing smoking, a move which has been interpreted negatively by some observers. It also remains uncertain where the responsibility will lie for spreading the anti-smoking message.

Laws, regulations and rules, Smoking

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Where's the beef?

Article Abstract:

The UK government's new 'Saving Lives' health policy sets the target of reducing the number of deaths from heart disease and stroke by 40%, thus saving 200,000 lives by 2010. There will be clear lines of accountability for meeting these targets, with public health 'observatories' to be established in each National Health Service region to assess local trends. The Royal College of Nursing believes that the government should focus on health, rather than disease.

Medical policy, Health policy

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In the pink: breast cancer is down, but not out

Article Abstract:

The improvement in the survival rate for breast cancer patients in the UK during the 1980s and 1990s is discussed, with focus on the use of the drug tamoxifen, the training of specialist nurses and better surgical techniques.

Care and treatment, Breast cancer

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