public health

Solidarity

Solidarity in bioethics has received increasing attention but it is often unclear what the concept means. This report proposes a new definition of solidarity and applies it to policy making in the areas of biobanks, pandemics and lifestyle disease.

Some people object to the ‘nanny state’ whilst others want more measures to tackle problems like obesity and binge drinking.

This report considers what the Government, industry and individuals should do to enable people to lead a healthy life.

New food labelling scheme in line with Council recommendations

The Health Minister Anna Soubry today announced the introduction of a new system of consistent front-of-pack food labelling which it is hoped will help consumers make healthier choices about the food they eat.

Are global health policies good for public health in developing countries?

Dr Amar Jesani gave the Council's Annual Lecture at the Wellcome Collection in London on Wednesday 16 May 2012.

Download the slides from the lecture.

‘Solidarity’ could provide policy solutions, says new report

What do research biobanks, Twitter and the NHS have in common? All involve people who are showing solidarity with others. And thinking about how solidarity plays a role in our society can offer solutions to policy making, concludes a new report published today. For example, Twitter and other social media could be used more systematically to track the spread of disease and share information during flu pandemics. And participation agreements for research biobanks should be revised to make biobanks more efficient in working towards improving health.

UN Briefing: Governments have an ethical responsibility to address non-communicable diseases

Ahead of the UN High-level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases in New York next week, the Council has produced a briefing paper outlining why heads of state not only need to take the lead in tackling diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease, but that they have an ethical responsibility to do so.

Council reminds UK Government of its ethical duty to act as “steward”

Hugh Whittall, Director of the Council, has written to The Independent, reminding the UK Government of its ethical responsibility to act as a steward to create conditions in which people can live healthy lives.

Solidarity - Second workshop on solidarity

A second workshop to inform the Council's solidarity fellowship project was held on 7 July 2011 in London. The one-day meeting brought together experts to discuss how the findings of the theoretical analysis carried out so far might be applied to questions of policy making in the areas of:

biobanks
lifestyle diseases
pandemics

Intervention ladder informs Lords behaviour change report

The House of Lords Science & Technology Committee has drawn on the Council’s ‘ladder of interventions’ to illustrate its conclusion that a whole range of measures – including some regulatory measures – will be needed to change behaviour in a way that will make a real difference to society’s biggest problems.

Broadening bioethics: clinical ethics, public health and global health

Baroness Onora O'Neill presents the Council's 2011 public lecture on clinical ethics, public health and global health at the Royal Society of Arts in London, 19th May 2011.