Public Health Prevention Plans: Pills, policies, politics or partnerships?

Event details

Annual John Snow lecture

The burden of death and disability from NCDs (Non-Communicable Diseases) is immense. In 2012 they accounted for two thirds of the 60 million global deaths. Some 40% of these were caused by cardiovascular disease - mainly heart disease and strokes.

NCDs have four major risk factors - tobacco, alcohol, inactivity and poor diet - with poor diet making a bigger contribution than the other three combined (www.thelancet.com 2012; 380: 2245)

So the science is relatively easy. Yet public health prevention planners still face a bewildering choice of strategies - pills, policies, politics or partnerships with industry - but what does the effectiveness and cost-effective evidence suggest?

Refreshments (tea/coffee) will be available in P/T/005A from 5.30pm.