Category: Health Policy
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Rethinking Australia’s tobacco revenue plunge
This post was written by Neil Francey, Research Affiliate, Sydney Health Law In an article in The Weekend Australian (13-14 September 2025), Associate Editor Eric Johnston argues that there should be a rethink of tobacco customs and excise duty, due to the scale of illicit trade in tobacco. Johnston’s piece was prompted by burnt-out tobacco…
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Two years on from Australia’s bold psychedelic experiment, here are our concerns
While a new Melbourne trial finds psilocybin-assisted therapy beneficial for the mental health of terminally ill patients, Australia’s broader experiment with medical psychedelics faces challenges. Our analysis raises concerns over a patchwork of regulations, unlawful promotion, and the potential for patient harm, and urging improvements to the authorised prescriber scheme.
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Could a national tobacco retail licensing scheme help to combat illicit tobacco in Australia?
High tobacco excise has fueled a costly black market, creating what one economist calls a ‘dumb trifecta’ of crime, poorer health, and lost revenue. With inconsistent state laws seemingly failing, this post explores if a single, national tobacco retail licensing scheme could be a more effective solution.
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Tracing Australia’s vaping controls back to source
The regulation of vaping and e-cigarettes in Australia underwent significant reform during 2023-2024. This post, prepared for health law students, traces some of the most significant reforms back to their legislative sources. Broad overview Australia’s regulatory framework for vaping has three components. First, vaping goods are regulated under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth), under…
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Paradise at risk: recommendations to control tobacco and alcohol industry interference in Pacific Island Countries and Territories
This post was written by Matthew Catanzariti, Jessica Heaney and Oscar Loughnan Tobacco and alcohol represent significant threats to public health. The businesses that manufacture, distribute, and market these products to the public have irreconcilable interests to those that attempt to improve and protect public health. These businesses use coercive techniques, such as lobbying, tactical…
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Spill your guts, it could be good 4 u: Three ‘lessons’ doctors can learn from teenage girls
In Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album ‘Guts’ (2023), the pop artist centers the ‘messy emotions’ and mistakes she has made growing up. While Rodrigo’s fans have embraced this introspective approach, can medical practitioners learn anything from the process?
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How old’s too old to be a doctor? Why GPs and surgeons over 70 may need a health check to practise
Surging complaints against older doctors has prompted the Medical Board of Australia to propose reforms for this cohort. But haven’t we moved on from set retirement ages? And would this amount to discrimination?
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A small injection of strictness: The TGA’s clampdown on cosmetic injectables advertising
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) recently published updated guidance on advertising cosmetic injectables. It’s a reminder that advertising prescription drugs in Australia is prohibited. But what are the issues here?
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The first pig kidney has been transplanted into a living person. But we’re still a long way from solving organ shortages
Reports are increasing of patients receiving xenotransplanted organs under ‘compassionate use’ exemptions. The number of CRISPR/Cas9 genome edits are also increasing. But the science does not yet demonstrate ‘proof of principle.’
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Choosing a new doctor? Earlier sexual misconduct may soon be on the public record
Reports of sexual misconduct by Australian health practitioners against patients continue to increase. Now, Australian health ministers are considering three interesting amendments intended to protect patients from boundary violations.
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Regulating harmful cross-border advertising: can it be done?
How do governments prevent their citizens from being exposed to harmful online advertising which originates outside of their jurisdiction? Such advertising is referred to as cross-border advertising. Advertisers have taken advantage of a digitised, interconnected world to reach broad audiences (including children) across national borders.
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Alcohol causes 3 million deaths each year. Eliminating conflicts of interest is vital to bringing this number down
Alcohol causes three million deaths each year, including 13.5% of deaths amongst those aged 20-39 years. But the personal and economic costs of alcohol-related harm are not met by the alcohol industry.
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Indigenous Peoples’ Inclusion in Food Governance
For NAIDOC Week, Dr Mark Lock speaks to Dr Belinda Reeve about championing health equity and inclusion for First Nations Australians in food governance.
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Alcohol companies continue to play by their own rules, putting our children’s health at risk
Alcohol companies are largely left to write and administer their own rules through the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) Scheme.
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Another step forward for the Pacific Legislative Framework
Pacific Island Countries and Territories have some of the world’s highest rates of health risks. In response, the Public Health Division of the Pacific Community (SPC) has been driving an initiative for tackling the key risk factors: the Pacific Legislative Framework.
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Closing the Gap and health governance reform: a brief review
The National Agreement on Closing the Gap is an ambitious all-of-government framework for improving the health and welfare of Australia’s first nations peoples. This post briefly reviews the Agreement and considers its significance as an example of health governance reform.
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Big Alcohol and COVID-19: industry rules fail. Again.
By Hannah Pierce, Kathryn Backholer, Sarah Jackson and Florentine Martino Reposted from MJA Insights: https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2021/11/big-alcohol-and-covid-19-failing-self-regulation-again/ WE know some people are more likely to drink – and drink more – during times of uncertainty and stress. Unsurprisingly, the alcohol industry is also aware of this. The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated how quickly and creatively the alcohol industry will…
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COVID-19, medical research governance, and public health orders
Posted by Belinda Reeve on behalf of Cate Stewart The impact of coronavirus-related biomedical research and public heath laws have been considered in recent articles co-authored by Cameron Stewart, Professor of Health, Law and Ethics at the University of Sydney Law School. Science at warp speed: COVID-19 medical research governance In biomedical research focused on developing COVID-19 vaccines…
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Upcoming event: the 2019 Food Governance Conference
Sydney Health Law is hosting the second Food Governance Conference from the 3rd to the 5th of July this year. The Conference is a collaboration between Sydney Law School, the University’s Charles Perkins Centre and The George Institute for Global Health. The 2019 Conference will explore how law, policy, and regulation address (or contribute to)…
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Regulation of alcohol advertising is failing Australia’s young people: new research on the ABAC Code
Exposure to alcohol advertising influences the likelihood that young people will begin drinking, that those already drinking will increase their intake, or engage in risky drinking. Accordingly, the World Health Organization calls for regulation that reduces the impact of alcohol marketing on young people, including by addressing the content and volume of marketing, as well as…
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