The Lancet Digest, June 26th – July 2nd 2009
This week’s Lancet focuses on the health impacts of alcohol, with the lead Editorial about alcohol use in Russia, while the others are on the benefits of cash transfer programs on children’s health and trying to make progress on maternal health and human rights.
The Articles are studies on alcohol and cause-specific mortality in Russia and the changes in glucose metabolism which precede type II diabetes. These are accompanied by Comments on the impacts of widespread drinking on a population and the prediction of type II diabetes.
There is also a three part series on alcohol and health. The first part is on the global burden of disease and injury related to alcohol consumption, the second about how effective and cost effective alcohol harm reduction programs are, and the third is a global call for action to reduce the harm caused by alcohol. There are also Comments on how alcohol is a global health priority and what action is needed to tackle the problem. There is also a Perspective on Sally Casswell, director of the Centre for Social and Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation (SHORE) and her efforts to combat alcohol consumption amongst communities, particularly the Maori.
The World Report is on whether lifting ban on American stem cell research will cause researchers to leave the UK for the USA, health promotion in Russia and passenger intervention to reduce reckless driving in Kenya. Also of interest to global health are Comments on strengthening health systems, Brazil’s courts forcing pharmacies to stock essential drugs and the neglected humanitarian disaster in Somalia. There are also Perspectives on When Experiments Travel, a book about the global clinical trials industry and whether or not disease eradication is ethical.