BMA: Govt just ‘talking the talk’

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, director of professional activities at the BMA, said of the government’s alcohol policy:

“The BMA has thought long and hard about walking away from the table but ultimately we do not feel we have any option. The government has talked the talk in respect of wanting to tackle alcohol misuse but when it comes to taking tough action that will achieve results it falls short. Instead it has chosen to rely on the alcohol industry to develop policies – given the inherent conflict of interest these will do nothing to reduce the harm caused by alcohol misuse.

“We are not sure how much evidence the government needs to see before it has the courage to act. If it really wants to tackle alcohol misuse it must develop a comprehensive strategy that will work across government departments and focus on affordability, availability and promotion. These policies will not be popular with the alcohol industry. But the government must show that it cares more for reducing the number of lives ruined by alcohol misuse than it does for keeping the industry happy.

“We hope that as health experts we will have an opportunity to sit down with people from many government departments, including health, transport and treasury, to explore the actions and policies, based on evidence, that are essential to turning the tide against alcohol harm.”