In previous editorials in this series (i, 2), we described a path that leads from health care research evidence to evidence-based health care. The steps include getting the evidence straight, developing evidence-based clinical policy, and then applying the policy. A policy is a statement of what should be done. Policies come in many forms. Health policies, for example, determine the funding of ...

On 20 March 2015, Professor Johan Mackenbach of the Erasmus University Medical Centre was awarded a doctorate honoris causa by the Catholic University (Université Catholique) of Louvain, Belgium, for his outstanding contribution to the analysis of health inequalities in Europe and to the development of policies intended to address them. In this context, a debate took place between Professor Mac...

public health ethics is a field that covers both factual and ethical issues in health policy and science, and has positive obligations to improve the well-being of populations and reduce social inequalities. it is obvious that various philosophies and moral theories can differently shape the framework of public health ethics. for this reason, the present study reviewed theories of justice in or...

Inequalities in the social determinants of health (SDH), which drive avoidable health disparities between different individuals or groups, is a major concern for a number of international organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite this, the pathways to changing inequalities in the SDH remain elusive. The methodologies and concepts within system science are now viewed ...

Alcohol, with its impact on both communicable and non-communicable diseases, is considered as the third global public health priority. Alcohol ranked third among causes of ill health and premature death, and ranked second in terms of cost among all the substances of abuse, after tobacco, even though nearly half the world’s population drinks alcohol. In most countries, where alcohol is considere...

National animal health policies have at their foundation the overarching need to address society's concerns about animal disease control, the welfare of animals and the safety and security of the animal production food supply. However, in today's global, complex and interdependent context, national animal health policies also impact a broader range of policy outcomes, ranging from public health...

BACKGROUND Successful HIV testing, care and treatment policy implementation is essential for realising the reductions in morbidity and mortality those policies are designed to target. While adoption of new HIV policies is rapid, less is known about the facility-level implementation of new policies and the factors influencing this. METHODS We assessed implementation of national policies about ...