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Press releases Saturday 29 January 2005

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(1) PASSIVE SMOKING IN CHILDHOOD MAY INCREASE RISK OF LUNG CANCER IN LATER LIFE

(2) DISASTER FUNDING NEEDS RADICAL REFORM

(1) PASSIVE SMOKING IN CHILDHOOD MAY INCREASE RISK OF LUNG CANCER IN LATER LIFE

Online First
(Environmental tobacco smoke and risk of respiratory cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in former smokers and never smokers in the EPIC prospective study)
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/rapidpdf/bmj.38327.648472.82

Children who are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (passive smoking) are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer as adults, says a paper in this week's BMJ.

Those children exposed to passive smoking on a daily basis and for many hours are the most vulnerable ? facing over treble (3.63) the risk of those who grew up in smoke-free environments.

Children experiencing passive smoke a few times a week are one and a half (1.45) times more likely to develop lung cancer, and those exposed daily but not for many hours faced twice (2.08) the risk.

In one of the most comprehensive studies into passive smoking of its kind, researchers looked at 303,020 people across Europe who had never smoked, or had stopped smoking by at least ten years. Within this group, 123,479 provided information on exposure to passive smoke, and researchers followed these participants' progress for an average of seven years.

Of those who had known exposure to passive smoke (but were not smokers themselves), 97 had developed lung cancer, 20 more had upper respiratory cancers such as cancer of the larynx, and 14 died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during the seven follow-up years.

Former smokers faced up to twice the risk of respiratory diseases from passive smoke than those who'd never smoked. This may be because their lungs are already damaged, making them more at risk to the effects of environmental tobacco smoke, say the researchers.

This study significantly reinforces previous research into the cancerous effects of passive smoke, the authors conclude.

Contact:

Professor Paolo Vineis Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College London, UK
Email: p.vineis@imperial.ac.uk

(2) DISASTER FUNDING NEEDS RADICAL REFORM

(Smoke and mirrors: deficiencies in disaster funding)
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/330/7485/247

(Commentary: Change will not happen overnight)
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/330/7485/250

We need to rethink the way we respond to large scale disasters such as the recent tsunami, say international health and relief experts in this week's BMJ.

The pledging of $5bn for survivors of the tsunami only three weeks after the event is an impressive expression of global concern, and is likely to meet most of the vital needs for survival.

However, this response is insufficient for rehabilitation, prevention and reduction of future disasters, and tackling long term vulnerability, write the authors. These more complex efforts should be seen as the common responsibility of states.

The number of disasters, almost all meteorological in nature, is steadily rising year on year, from an average of 150 a year in 1980 to over 450 a year today. Although some of this increase may be due to better reporting, a substantial part represents more people vulnerable to more extreme weather.

Based on the premise that disasters are here to stay, funding arrangements need radical reform, say the authors.

Central to this is the need for UN relief agencies to be funded by assessed contributions rather than having to appeal for money after each disaster. This would allow agencies to build reserve funds, to invest in training, and to act more quickly and save more lives.

The system for tracking donations and spending should also be improved, and "disaster proofing" should be taken seriously in all development planning.

Short term thinking and related funding mechanisms can undermine efforts for a more sustained approach to reducing the risk of disaster, add World Health Organisation researchers in an accompanying commentary.

They believe that new ways must be found to coordinate and invest development and humanitarian funds in fragile states, so that communities at risk can receive adequate support to improve their livelihoods and reduce their vulnerabilities.

Contacts:

Paper: Peter Walker, Feinstein International Famine Center, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, MA, USA
Email: peter.walker@tufts.edu

Commentary: Andre Griekspoor, Department of Health Action in Crises, World Health Organisation, Geneva, Switzerland
Email: griekspoora@who.int.uk

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