733 Results

  • Covid-19 was no black swan, but a paradigmatic black elephant

    … In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, everybody now knows that: Warnings about pandemic disease had been touted for decades Myriad organisations had called for increased … at the Ministry of Health with a research proposal only to be told that border closure in a pandemic would never …
    Briefing

  • Getting through together: ethical values for a pandemic

    … us make good decisions in difficult situations so that, for example, the need to impose restrictive measures and to protect … because “we are all in this together, and we can only stop it together”. … Getting through together: ethical …
    Briefing

  • Aotearoa’s first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza: Heightened awareness and surveillance essential for early detection

    … virus infection on a free-range egg farm in December 2024. The subtype, H7N6, is distinct from the globally circulating … New Zealand (NZ). We discuss its impacts and priorities for future surveillance efforts to ensure the safeguarding of … is naturally found in wild birds and typically causes only asymptotic infections. When it spills over to poultry, …
    Briefing

  • Government struggling with evidence: HTPs, addiction levels, and Smokefree 2025

    … Summary The Government recently halved the excise tax on heated … are more 'hardened' (i.e., more addicted). It is time for the Government to take the evidence-based approach to … review concluding that smoking is instead “softening”. 5   Second, while important to offer evidence-based cessation …
    Briefing

  • Embracing downward counterfactual analysis to navigate future cyclones

    … how it could have been worse, to derive valuable insights for future disaster mitigation. The ‘worse case’ scenarios include higher storm severity (as … – especially for less common disasters for which there may only be a small dataset of historical events. This approach …
    Briefing

  • The Smokefree 2025 goal is in danger of receding – will the Ministry of Health’s ‘realignment’ get it back on track?

    … The Ministry of Health proposes realigning tobacco control … 2025 will not be met without a massive shake-up of funding for anti-tobacco groups, the Ministry of Health now concedes” … for 2011-2015 (10). However, of these recommendations, only tobacco tax and action on duty free sales will have been …
    Briefing

  • World Ventil8 Day – How do our buildings measure up?

    … Summary Nothing is more fundamental than the air we breathe. Taking place every year on the 8 November … is so often ignored or poorly understood – and we usually only notice when there is a problem. Good ventilation not … (NZ), it is estimated that air pollution is responsible for 3,317 premature deaths each year and is linked to an …
    Briefing

  • How can we address tobacco companies’ manipulation of cigarette prices?

    … Pricing is one of the most potent influences on consumers’ behaviour. … lower price brands. What implications do our findings have for smokefree policy? First, they illustrate how tobacco … of new, less expensive brands or brand variants. Second, we found tobacco companies had generally increased …
    Briefing

  • Good news on declining smoking rates, especially for Māori. Is it credible? What next?

    … generally fit with other evidence and are good news for health in NZ. And late today Tariana Turia has announced … limited reductions. That is, adult smoking prevalence ‘only’ fell from 19.4% (95% confidence interval 18.5% to … the tobacco tax revenue to tobacco control. This approach makes tax increases more acceptable to smokers (and there are …
    Briefing

  • New Zealanders strongly support policies to curb alcohol harm – will government listen?

    … are currently legislated perpetuates this, particularly for Māori who experience a disproportionate amount of harm.   … Four public inquiries in NZ have shown strong public and scientific support for ‘best-buy’ alcohol policies to curb … on alcohol products. Previous research has found that only 18% of New Zealanders are aware of the link between …
    Briefing

Subscribe

Briefing CTA

Public Health Expert Briefing

Get the latest insights from the public health research community delivered straight to your inbox for free. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest research, analysis and commentary from the Public Health Expert Briefing.

PHCC logo PHCC

The PHCC is funded by a philanthropic endowment from the Gama Foundation and hosted by the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington.

Contact

Email phcc@phcc.org.nz
43 Hanson Street, Mt Cook, 
Wellington | Te Whanganui-a-Tara
PO Box 7343, Wellington South 6242
New Zealand | Aotearoa

 

Public Health Expert Briefing (ISSN 2816-1203)