Category Archives: legal issues

Introducing a wealth of ideas for new online health-related publications

May 16, 2012 – 8:11 pm

Entrepreneurs and philanthropists take note: below are some terrific ideas for new health-related online publications. Croakey recently put out a call on behalf of the Public Interest Journalism Foundation for ideas for online publications covering health-related areas of need. One of the pitches will be developed during a session at the New News conference, which will [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in aged care, climate change, disasters, evidence-based issues, Health inequalities, Media-related issues, public health, rural and remote health, social determinants of health, social media and healthcare, women's health | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

When will policy catch up with the science on drug prohibition?

May 16, 2012 – 2:09 pm

The previous post examined some of the health implications of Victoria’s plans to build a new prison. In the article below, Dr Alex Wodak, President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, suggests that drug law reform offers a more effective and humane alternative to prison-building. *** Crime and drugs: get tough or get smart? The Victorian [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in illicit drugs, public health, social determinants of health | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

In case you missed this series on the need for drug law reform

May 2, 2012 – 7:30 pm

Australia21 is an independent, non-profit organisation involved in multidisciplinary research and inquiry on issues of strategic importance to Australia. Its concern with public health is not surprising given that its board members include Emeritus Professor Bob Douglas and physician/law reform advocate Dr Alex Wodak. It recently released a report titled “The prohibition of illicit drugs [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in global health, illicit drugs, public health | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Primary health care: when and where did it all begin?

April 5, 2012 – 2:44 pm

Continuing the primary health care theme of the previous post, health policy expert Professor Philip Davies investigates the history of the terms “primary care” and “primary health care” – a topical matter given the legal action recently dropped by Primary Health Care Ltd. *** Tracking the long history of primary health care Philip Davies writes: After [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in general practice, Hospitals, Journal articles, Medicare Locals, primary health care | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Why won’t the Federal Government support a no fault compo scheme for vaccine-related injuries?

March 29, 2012 – 11:42 am

The Federal Government needs to do a much better job of explaining the reasons for its reluctance to introduce a no fault compensation scheme for vaccine-related injuries, according to Associate Professor Heath Kelly.  To date, the responses to calls for such a scheme have not been helpful, he suggests. *** Why won’t the Government support [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in adverse events, health ethics, vaccination | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Constitutional recognition and Indigenous health

February 7, 2012 – 10:22 am

Sixty-two per cent of voters support changing the Constitution to recognise Indigenous people as the country’s first inhabitants, according to a poll reported today in the Sydney Morning Herald. (http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/gillard-aims-to-time-it-right-as-voters-back-race-equality-20120206-1r1wo.html) In the article below, Professor Pat Dudgeon, an Indigenous psychologist, continues the theme of recent Croakey articles exploring the health implications of such recognition. (This [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Indigenous health, mental health, social determinants of health | Comments (1)

“Legally invisible”: Law reform matters for Aboriginal health

February 2, 2012 – 4:39 pm

A recent Croakey post suggested that Constitutional reform could bring important health benefits for Indigenous Australians. The article below argues that a clear legal framework is needed for better Aboriginal health, citing a paper recently released by the Lowitja Institute, Legally Invisible – How Australian Laws Impeded Stewardship and Governance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Indigenous health, public health, Uncategorized | Comments (2)

Using Constitutional change to improve Indigenous health

January 31, 2012 – 3:37 pm

Could special recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Parliament and in the Constitution bring benefits for Indigenous health? In the article below, Dr Enrico Brik, the pseudonym of a self-employed consultant and sometime writer and blogger who has worked for over a decade in various roles in health services policy and [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Indigenous health, public health, social determinants of health | Comments (2)

Pressure for abortion law reform in Queensland

December 9, 2011 – 2:13 pm

Professor Caroline de Costa writes: It is now more than a year since the trial of a young Cairns couple charged with procuring an abortion for the woman. A jury in the Cairns District Court unanimously rejected the charges but the couple spent an agonising eighteen months prior to the trial, the subject of intense [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in abortion, women's health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Statement from Australian Skeptics on the Ken Harvey and SensaSlim cases

October 14, 2011 – 11:52 am

As previously mentioned, Australian Skeptics launched a fund-raising drive earlier this year to help public health advocate Dr Ken Harvey cover legal costs arising from action by SensaSlim Australia. An update comes from this press release: Australian Skeptics are pleased to announce that some hundreds of members of the skeptical community have banded together to [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in complementary medicines, consumer health information, public health, TGA | Tagged , , | Comments (5)