Short-Interval Cortical Inhibition and Rhetoric and the Law, Or the Law of Rhetoric: How Countries Oppose Novel Tobacco Control Measures at The World Trade Organization

The tobacco industry has developed an extensive array of strategies and arguments to prevent or weaken government regulation. These strategies and arguments are well documented at the domestic level. However, there remains a need to examine how these arguments are reflected in the challenges waged by governments within the World Trade Organization (WTO). Decisions made at the WTO have the potential to shape how countries govern. Our analysis was conducted on two novel tobacco control measures: tobacco additives bans (Canada, United States and Brazil) and plain, standardized packaging of tobacco products (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, EU and UK). We analyzed WTO documents (i.e. meeting minutes and submissions) (n = 62) in order to identify patterns of argumentation and compare these patterns with well-documented industry arguments. The pattern of these arguments reveal that despite the unique institutional structure of the WTO, country representatives opposing novel tobacco control measures use the same non-technical arguments as those that the tobacco industry continues to use to oppose these measures at the domestic level

Whole-Of-Government Approaches to NCDs: The Case of the Philippines Interagency Committee—Tobacco

To address the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), governments are now being urged to ‘put forward a multisectoral approach for health at all government levels, to address NCD risk factors and underlying determinants of health comprehensively and decisively’ [UN, 2011. Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (No. A/66/L.1). New York, NY: United Nations]. There is a global consensus that whole-of-government approaches (WG) can be particularly effective in regulating products such as tobacco, pre-packaged foods and alcohol, which are or can be major risk factors for NCDs. Despite the overwhelming push towards interagency arrangements for health policymaking and implementation, including in contemporary efforts to prevent and control NCDs, there has been minimal investigation into how countries have pursued WG and which types of institutional designs and arrangements offer particular utility to achieve health objectives. This article examines these issues through a case study concerning the interagency mechanism that the Philippine government currently utilizes to govern tobacco control, the Interagency Committee—Tobacco (IAC-T). We conducted key informant interviews (n = 33) with government officials, and representatives from civil society organizations, health professional associations and intergovernmental organizations. We targeted informants who have been involved in the work of the IAC-T and/or tobacco control policy more broadly. We also analysed public documents to contribute to our analysis of the structure, functioning and legal status of the IAC-T. Our findings highlight two salient challenges that arose in the Philippines case: (1) the inclusion of industry representation on the IAC-T and (2) the attempt to consolidate the responsibilities of the different departments through a policy of ‘balance’ between health and commercial interests. We analyse how health proponents navigated this challenging institutional arrangement and the various barriers they faced in achieving the intended health objectives. We draw from this case to discuss the lessons that can inform broad calls for WG to NCDs

“Just suffering. That’s it!”: Perspectives of Tobacco Farming Households on Tobacco Growing and Alternatives in Mozambique

Tobacco is viewed as an important cash crop for farmers in Southern Africa and many countries around the world. This analysis explores the perspectives of farmers who are growing tobacco in Mozambique. The main aim of this analysis is to describe the perspectives of tobacco growers on the conditions of tobacco growing and their perspectives on possible alternatives. This analysis is situated in relation to efforts by countries like Mozambique to implement Article 17 of the WHO FCTC, which outlines the need for governments to support alternatives to tobacco growing. This study applied a qualitative description methodology to explore the perspectives of farming households on tobacco growing and the conditions that shape their experiences. We conducted focus group discussions in four tobacco growing districts of Angonia, Cuamba, Macanga, and Mandimba in Tete and Niassa provinces . The number of focus group participants ranged from 10 to 24. In each district we conducted two sets of focus groups. One with men (n=4) and one with women (n=4). We organized our findings in two broad categories. The first category, perspectives on tobacco growing, presents the key features of tobacco growing as described by the participants across regions. Participants emphasized the economic hardships or ‘suffering’ that resulted from tobacco growing. The second category revolves around perspectives on alternatives to tobacco growing and the conditions necessary to switch from tobacco to another crop or other form of livelihood. This second category involved an exploration of the tension between existing alternatives and the inaccessibility of alternatives particularly in relation to alternative crops. Conclusions: The findings of this study are similar to those from other studies in the region. Small holder tobacco growers in Mozambique share similarities in terms of reason for growing tobacco, the factors that lead to contract farming, and their perspective on the economic challenges faced

Extending Collaborations for Knowledge Translation: Lessons from the Community-based Participatory Research Literature

The purpose of this paper is to expand the current focus on researcher-decision-maker knowledge translation (KT) partnerships to include community partners. Lessons were drawn from the community-based participatory research literature. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted, using forty-two eligible articles, and resulted in the identification of four themes (principles, structure, process and relationships) and associated factors that could contribute to KT collaborations among the three groups of actors. These findings are presented in a KT Triad framework. Thus, the framework provides specific lessons to facilitate researcher-decision-makercommunity collaborations based on an established body of literature. Including community partners in the KT process is important for integrating community context and needs into research-to-policy deliberations

Investment Incentives and The Implementation of the Framework Convention On Tobacco Control: Evidence from Zambia

Purpose: Policy misalignment across different sectors of government serves as one of the pivotal barriers to WHO Framework convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) implementation. This paper examines the logic used by government officials to justify providing investment incentives to increase tobacco processing and manufacturing in the context of FCTC implementation in Zambia. Methods: We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with key informants from government, civil society and intergovernmental economic organizations (n=23). We supplemented the interview data with an analysis of public documents pertaining to economic development policy in Zambia. Results: We found gross misalignments between the policies of the economic sector and efforts to implement the provisions of the FCTC. Our interviews uncovered the rationale used by officials in the economic sector to justify providing economic incentives to bolster tobacco processing and manufacturing in Zambia: 1) tobacco is not consumed by Zambians/tobacco is an export commodity, 2) economic benefits outweigh health costs, and 3) tobacco consumption is a personal choice. Conclusions: Much of the struggle Zambia has experienced implementing the FCTC can be attributed to misalignments between the economic and health sectors. Zambia’s development agenda seeks to bolster agricultural processing and manufacturing. Tobacco control proponents must understand and work within this context of economic development in order to foster productive strategies with those working on tobacco supply issues. These findings are broadly applicable to the global analysis on the barriers and facilitators of FCTC implementation. It is important that the Ministry of Health monitors the tobacco policy of other sectors and engages with these sectors to find ways of harmonizing FCTC implementation across sectors

Is It Time to Say Farewell to the ISDS System? Comment on “The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Is It Everything We Feared for Health?”

Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) continues to plague health-oriented government regulation. This is particularly reflected in recent challenges to tobacco control measures through bilateral investment agreements. There are numerous reform proposals circulating within the public health community. However, I suggest that perhaps it is time for the community to explore a stronger position on ISDS. I draw from mounting evidence on the problematic uses of the ISDS to explore the proposition that ISDS is no longer justified. I tackle the normative question of should the ISDS system persist and point out that the ISDS system is not justifiable from a development perspective and because of its nefarious use, is of no added value to a system that could rely on domestic court

Navigating Institutional Complexity in The Health Sector: Lessons from Tobacco Control in Kenya

Introduction  This research examines the institutional dynamics of tobacco control following the establishment of Kenya’s 2007 landmark tobacco control legislation. Our analysis focuses specifically on coordination challenges within the health sector. Methods  We conducted semi-structured interviews with key informants ( n  = 17) involved in tobacco regulation and control in Kenya. We recruited participants from different offices and sectors of government and non-governmental organizations. Results  We find that the main challenges toward successful implementation of tobacco control are a lack of coordination and clarity of mandate of the principal institutions involved in tobacco control efforts. In a related development, the passage of a new constitution in 2010 created structural changes that have affected the successful implementation of the country’s tobacco control legislation. Discussion  We discuss how proponents of tobacco control navigated these two overarching institutional challenges. These findings point to the institutional factors that influence policy implementation extending beyond the traditional focus on the dynamic between government and the tobacco industry. These findings specifically point to the intragovernmental challenges that bear on policy implementation. The findings suggest that for effective implementation of tobacco control legislation and regulation, there is need for increased cooperation among institutions charged with tobacco control, particularly within or involving the Ministry of Health. Decisive leadership was also widely presented as a component of successful institutional reform. Conclusion  This study points to the importance of coordinating policy development and implementation across levels of government and the need for leadership and clear mandates to guide cooperation within the health sector. The Kenyan experience offers useful lessons in the pitfalls of institutional incoherence, but more importantly, the value of investing in and then promoting well-functioning institutions

Framing international trade and chronic disease

There is an emerging evidence base that global trade is linked with the rise of chronic disease in many low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This linkage is associated, in part, with the global diffusion of unhealthy lifestyles and health damaging products posing a particular challenge to countries still facing high burdens of communicable disease. We developed a generic framework which depicts the determinants and pathways connecting global trade with chronic disease. We then applied this framework to three key risk factors for chronic disease: unhealthy diets, alcohol, and tobacco. This led to specific 'product pathways', which can be further refined and used by health policy-makers to engage with their country's trade policy-makers around health impacts of ongoing trade treaty negotiations, and by researchers to continue refining an evidence base on how global trade is affecting patterns of chronic disease. The prevention and treatment of chronic diseases is now rising on global policy agendas, highlighted by the UN Summit on Noncommunicable Diseases (September 2011). Briefs and declarations leading up to this Summit reference the role of globalization and trade in the spread of risk factors for these diseases, but emphasis is placed on interventions to change health behaviours and on voluntary corporate responsibility. The findings summarized in this article imply the need for a more concerted approach to regulate trade-related risk factors and thus more engagement between health and trade policy sectors within and between nations. An explicit recognition of the role of trade policies in the spread of noncommunicable disease risk factors should be a minimum outcome of the September 2011 Summit, with a commitment to ensure that future trade treaties do not increase such risks

Zambian Disability Policy Stakeholder Perspectives on the Ways that International Initiatives Influence Domestic Disability Policies

Disability has attracted attention in international human rights and development circles and Zambian domestic policy. The purpose of this research was to explore the perceptions of Zambian disability policy stakeholders about the ways that two international initiatives, namely the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are being reflected in domestic policy. We collected data through semi-structured interviews with 22 policy stakeholders (12 disability advocates and 10 policymakers) and analysed these data using thematic analysis. The UNCRPD was perceived to be progressively integrated into Zambian disability policy although insufficiently implemented while the SDGs have provided rhetorical influence

Zambian Disability Policy Stakeholder Perspectives on the Ways that International Initiatives Influence Domestic Disability Policies

Disability has attracted attention in international human rights and development circles and Zambian domestic policy. The purpose of this research was to explore the perceptions of Zambian disability policy stakeholders about the ways that two international initiatives, namely the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are being reflected in domestic policy. We collected data through semi-structured interviews with 22 policy stakeholders (12 disability advocates and 10 policymakers) and analysed these data using thematic analysis. The UNCRPD was perceived to be progressively integrated into Zambian disability policy although insufficiently implemented while the SDGs have provided rhetorical influence