Taxes to sugar-sweetened beverages: are changes in obesity and diabetes observable?
Am J Clin Nutr. 2024 Apr;119(4):874-875. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.01.029. Epub 2024 Feb 26.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38569784 | DOI:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.01.029 (Source: Am J Clin Nutr)
Source: Am J Clin Nutr - April 3, 2024 Category: Nutrition Authors: Carolina Batis Source Type: research

Viruses, Vol. 16, Pages 486: The 15th Anniversary of Viruses: An Unwavering Commitment to Serving the Virology Community
d It is often said that two things in life are certain: death and taxes [...] (Source: Viruses)
Source: Viruses - March 22, 2024 Category: Virology Authors: Eric O. Freed Tags: Editorial Source Type: research

Reducing Alcohol Use to Prevent Cancer Deaths: Estimated Effects Among U.S. Adults
CONCLUSIONS: Implementing evidence-based alcohol policies (e.g., increasing alcohol taxes, regulating alcohol outlet density) to decrease drinking could reduce alcohol-attributable cancers, complementing clinical interventions.PMID:38514233 | DOI:10.1016/j.amepre.2023.12.003 (Source: Cancer Control)
Source: Cancer Control - March 21, 2024 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Marissa B Esser Adam Sherk Yong Liu S Jane Henley Timothy S Naimi Source Type: research

Asymmetric effect of environment tax and spending on CO2 emissions of European Union
This study investigates the effects of environmental tax and environmental spending on CO2 emissions of 27 countries of the European Union EU27 countries using annual time series data from 1995 to 2022. The study used linear and non-linear autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL and NARDL) to examine the relationship. Estimates claim that the variables have a symmetric and asymmetric long-term and short-term relationship. The negative impacts of environmental taxes on CO2 emissions prove that emissions are reduced when polluting activities are taxed. Fiscal policy instrument such as taxation changes the behaviour of the priv...
Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research International - March 21, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Dhyani Mehta Parth Prajapati Source Type: research

Reassessing the VaxTax
To counter the imbalance in vaccine distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic, Albertsen and more recently Germani et al have suggested a new system of taxation coined as ‘VaxTax’ that would force higher-income countries to fund the access of low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) to new vaccines in times of pandemic. I will argue that this idea faces numerous challenges of ethical, sociopolitical and economical nature that may hinder any effort to solve the numerous health challenges that LMICs face. I argue that while it is an interesting idea, it is neither sufficient nor will it ever be easily imple...
Source: Journal of Medical Ethics - March 20, 2024 Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Petrovic, N. Tags: COVID-19 Current controversy Source Type: research

Enhancing social value considerations in prioritising publicly funded biomedical research: the vital role of peer review
The main goal of publicly funded biomedical research is to generate social value through the creation and application of knowledge that can improve the well-being of current and future people. Prioritising research with the greatest potential social value is crucial for good stewardship of limited public resources and ensuring ethical involvement of research participants. At the National Institutes of Health (NIH), peer reviewers hold the expertise and responsibility for social value assessment and resulting prioritisation at the project level. However, previous research has shown that peer reviewers place more emphasis on...
Source: Journal of Medical Ethics - March 20, 2024 Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Saylor, K. W., Joffe, S. Tags: Original research Source Type: research

Tobacco control policy and regulation from diverse perspectives and contexts
This issue brings together studies providing different perspectives of tobacco regulation and policy for cigarettes, heated tobacco products (HTPs), waterpipe tobacco, e-cigarettes and other products. Taxation is cost-effective for governments while reducing smoking prevalence. Ngo et al provide evidence for the underused potential of this policy lever.1 Using the Tobacconomics scorecard and drawing on 2014-2020 data, they show that modest improvement in tax policy scores globally reduced cigarette consumption by 3.27%, but this could have been reduced by 20.74% with optimal tax policies. Low-income and middle-income count...
Source: Tobacco Control - March 19, 2024 Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Hefler, M. Tags: Open access Editorial Source Type: research

The impact of cigarette prices on smoking onset and cessation: evidence from Vietnam
Conclusion Vietnam should continue to increase excise taxes on tobacco products to reduce smoking onset. Since smokers are resilient to excise tax increases, other tobacco control policies, such as smoke-free areas and tobacco advertisement bans, should be better enforced to encourage people to quit. Other policies not yet implemented, such as plain packaging of tobacco products, may also encourage smokers to quit. (Source: Tobacco Control)
Source: Tobacco Control - March 19, 2024 Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Nguyen, C. V., Vellios, N., Nguyen, N. H., Le, T. T. Tags: Original research Source Type: research

Cigarette prices and smoking among adults in eight sub-Saharan African countries: evidence from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey
Conclusions Higher cigarette prices significantly decrease the likelihood of smoking and decrease the intensity of cigarette consumption among African adults. Increases in the excise tax that increase the retail price of cigarettes will play an important role in reducing adult tobacco use on the continent. Governments are encouraged to increase excise taxes to improve public health. (Source: Tobacco Control)
Source: Tobacco Control - March 19, 2024 Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Filby, S. Tags: Open access Original research Source Type: research

Impact of waterpipe tobacco taxation on consumption, government revenue and premature deaths averted in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine: a simulation study
Discussion Increases in waterpipe tobacco-specific excise taxes substantially reduce smoking and increase government revenue and averted premature deaths in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. This has positive implications for both public health and financing and should be considered a policy priority. (Source: Tobacco Control)
Source: Tobacco Control - March 19, 2024 Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Jawad, M., Awawda, S., Abla, R., Chalak, A., Khader, Y. S., Nakkash, R. T., Mostafa, A., Salloum, R. G., Abu-Rmeileh, N. M. E. Tags: Open access Original research Source Type: research

Towards true prices in food retailing: the value added tax as an instrument transforming agri-food systems
AbstractCurrent crises (i.e., climate crisis, COVID-19 pandemic, Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the resulting energy and food shortages) indicate the need for robust, and sustainable supply chains with regional food production and farmland to secure food supply in the European Union (EU). Recent research shows that organic food is more resilient to supply chain disruptions and price fluctuations. In this context, we examine an approach for the sustainable and resilient transformation of agri-food networks: can an adaptation of value added tax (VAT) levels work as a financial incentive to amplify resilient agricultural pr...
Source: Sustainability Science - March 15, 2024 Category: Science Source Type: research

Effectiveness of the Children's Fitness Tax Credit: A scoping review
CONCLUSION: The CFTC had limited to no impact in promoting PA among Canadian children, particularly for those experiencing low income.PMID:38472639 | DOI:10.17269/s41997-024-00861-1 (Source: Canadian Journal of Public Health)
Source: Canadian Journal of Public Health - March 13, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: John C Spence Amie Mangan Allison Sivak Source Type: research

Effectiveness of the Children's Fitness Tax Credit: A scoping review
CONCLUSION: The CFTC had limited to no impact in promoting PA among Canadian children, particularly for those experiencing low income.PMID:38472639 | DOI:10.17269/s41997-024-00861-1 (Source: Canadian Journal of Public Health)
Source: Canadian Journal of Public Health - March 13, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: John C Spence Amie Mangan Allison Sivak Source Type: research

News at a glance: Methane-hunting satellite, Elsevier ’s earnings, and protecting Kinsey
ENVIRONMENT White House wants to weigh ecosystem benefits President Joe Biden’s administration published guidance last week for U.S. federal agencies to weigh benefits to human health and welfare provided by natural resources when considering whether to undertake or approve actions that could harm them. These “ecosystem benefits” include clean water and air and intangible perks such as spiritual connections to nature. Until now, federal rules have required agencies to analyze costs and benefits when building roads or issuing permits for logging or mining, for example, but did not explicitly men...
Source: Science of Aging Knowledge Environment - March 7, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research

Landscaping analysis of immunization progress and program structures in selected middle income Southeast Asian countries
This study examined the performance and structures of national immunization program in five middle-income Southeast Asian countries - Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Viet Nam, and Myanmar, and analyzed how the different structures relate to the difference in program performance to identify effective strategies in the study countries that facilitated good immunization performance. Data were derived from published literature, and WHO/UNICEF/Gavi databases, with 2010 as the baseline year. UMICs Malaysia and Thailand maintained ≥90 % coverage from 2010 to 2020 and even during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. LMICs Viet Nam an...
Source: Vaccine - March 6, 2024 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Jessabelle E Basa Ralf Clemens Sue Ann Costa Clemens Martin Nicholson Source Type: research