News and updates

The first article in our series looks at the links between air pollution and NCDs and the need to address air pollution within health and broader sustainable development agendas. Read more >: Thinking outside the box: Increased global recognition of air pollution as an NCD risk factor

From 19 to 23 November, with support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer held its inaugural Alumni Workshop in Melbourne, Australia. Read more >: McCabe Centre alumni return for the inaugural Alumni Workshop

In November, 27 government lawyers and policymakers from 24 countries joined the McCabe Centre in Melbourne for a one-week Plain Packaging Workshop on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Decision. Read more >: Plain Packaging Workshop to explore WTO Decision

The final Perspective of the Informed Financial Consent series further explores the importance and meaning of informed financial consent, and suggests that the legal costs disclosure obligations placed on lawyers can serve as a model for a legal duty for doctors to discuss and disclose costs. Read more >: Doctors and costs disclosure: Time for clearer standards

This second Perspective of the Informed Financial Consent series sets out the importance of informed financial consent to patients and why disclosing the costs of medical treatment is, and should be, part of a doctor’s duty of informed consent. Read more >: A legal duty for informed financial consent

In the first Perspective of the Informed Financial Consent Series we discuss how out-of-pocket costs are driving up the costs of cancer treatment and affecting Australians undergoing medical treatment for cancer. Read more >: Unexpected side effect: Out-of-pocket costs, financial toxicity and medical treatment

The McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer is now a designated World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Law and Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), focusing on the effective use of law to prevent and control NCDs. Read more >: McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer designated as World Health Organization Collaborating Centre

Australia has been delivered its third resounding legal victory in the defence of its tobacco plain packaging laws with release of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Panel Report overnight (Thursday, 28 June in Geneva). The Panel Report finds in favour of Australia, dismissing claims brought by Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras and Indonesia. Read more >: Australia delivered third resounding legal victory in plain packaging laws

This World Cancer Day, we are excited to launch the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer’s new Strategic Plan for 2018-2022. Read more >: McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer: New Strategic Plan 2018-2022

On 15 November 2017, the UK Supreme Court dismissed an appeal brought by the Scotch Whisky Association and two Belgian organisations, spiritsEUROPE and Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (‘CEEV’) against Scottish legislation introducing a minimum unit price for alcohol. Clare Slattery looks at the challenge. Read more >: Setting a price floor for alcohol: a look at the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Scotland and the legal challenge to the measure

This blog is based on a paper that Dr Deborah Lawson presented at the International Conference on End of Life Law, Ethics, Policy and Practice in Nova Scotia, Canada, 13-15 September 2017. The paper considers whether medical involvement should be required in advance care directive completion, with a particular focus on whether there are relevant differences between advance refusal and advance consent. Read more >: Advance care directive completion and the conundrum of advance consent

I was extremely surprised to learn that Derek Yach had cited a paper of mine in his recent Lancet piece, Foundation for a smoke-free world, about his new Philip Morris-funded foundation. I do not agree with Yach’s assertion and will hope to have his inaccurate reference to my article removed from his Lancet paper. Read more >: Comment on Derek Yach’s Lancet article Foundation for a smoke-free world

As the case of a health blogger who fraudulently profited from a fabricated account of beating cancer concludes, there is hope that new legislation in Victoria will put an end to dodgy cancer cure claims. Read more >: Abuse of trust: the case of Belle Gibson and fake cancer cures

On 13 July 2017, the tribunal constituted to hear Philip Morris Asia Ltd’s (PMA) investment treaty challenge against Australia’s tobacco plain packaging laws ordered PMA to reimburse Australia for costs involved in defending the case. Read more >: Philip Morris ordered to pay Australia for costs of defending tobacco plain packaging investment challenge

On 17 February 2017, the Court of Appeal of Kenya at Nairobi upheld the High Court of Kenya’s dismissal of a legal challenge brought by British American Tobacco (BAT) to the Tobacco Control Regulations (2014), made under the Tobacco Control Act (2007). Read more >: Court of Appeal of Kenya rejects BAT challenge to Tobacco Control Regulations