WEEKLY ALCOHOL ISSUES
May 24, 2021 – May 30, 2021
This week’s Special Feature explores the lethal interaction between alcohol and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. As the UN High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS approaches, considerations of alcohol harm and alcohol policy solutions in the context of stepping up action to end HIV/AIDS are essential and require bigger attention…
Alcohol issues from our Policy Newsfeed cover the brand new WHO Europe fact sheet on alcohol and cancer; New Zealand’s heavy alcohol burden and a draft bill by a New Zealand MP to ban alcohol advertisements and sponsorship; the passing of the Family Support Services for Addiction Act by the United States House of Representative; and the fast growing alcohol-free wine market in Australia…
Alcohol issues from our Science Digest cover one study on the public opinion regarding alcohol industry CSR activities; and another study on alcohol’s economic costs to society…
Alcohol issues from our Big Alcohol Watch expose big investments by the alcohol industry for an advertising onslaught in 2021 and beyond…
Our Special Event Alert highlights two WHO events that promise to be highly interesting: one is a webinar on alcohol (harm and policy) and inequality; and the other one is the third Forum on Alcohol, other Drugs, and Addictive Behaviors (FADAB3); a third special event coming up is a four-part series on alcohol, sustainability and development, organized by the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS)…
Alcohol Policy News
Latest Science Digest
Big Alcohol Watch
Special Feature – No. 21
Alcohol as risk factor for the HIV/ AIDS epidemic and the potential of policy solutions
The high-level meeting (HLM) on HIV/AIDS will be convened from June 8 to 10, 2021, in the General Assembly Hall, at the UN Headquarters, in New York.
This event is pivotal because it will undertake a comprehensive review of the progress on the commitments made in the 2016 Political Declaration towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030, and how the response, in its social, economic and political dimensions, continues to contribute to progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The high-level meeting will provide recommendations to guide and monitor the HIV/AIDS response beyond 2021, including new concrete commitments to accelerate action to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as well as to promote the renewed commitment and engagement of leaders, countries, communities and partners to accelerate and implement a comprehensive universal and integrated response to HIV/AIDS.
New concrete commitments to accelerate action to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic are important because alcohol remains a major risk factor that continues to be overlooked; this jeopardizes the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Understanding the problem and the potential of alcohol policy solutions
Science Digest – latest studies on the lethal interaction between alcohol and HIV/AIDS
We have curated crucial recent studies to shed more light on the lethal interaction between alcohol and HIV/AIDS – linking alcohol with gender-based violence, and HIV; the need for alcohol behavior interventions to prevent HIV/ AIDS; and the case of Eswatini illustrating the problem of alcohol use among people living with HIV/AIDS.
Policy statement on the potential of addressing alcohol as HIV/AIDS risk factor
In 2018, Movendi International delivered two statements at the UN AIDS Program Coordination Board to contribute to the conversation about better addressing alcohol’s role in the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
You can read the full statements here.
Overview of relevant scientific studies
A curated selection of studies illustrate the role alcohol harm plays in the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The prevalence of alcohol use in people living with HIV/AIDS
The healthcare and health system response
Alcohol harm in PLWHA
The Alcohol Issues Podcast – Episode 19
In the 19th episode of the Alcohol Issues Podcast host Maik Dünnbier welcomes Michele Checchini, the senior health policy analyst and project leader public health at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). They discuss some of the most significant findings from the brand new OECD report titled “Preventing Harmful Alcohol Use”. They cover alcohol consumption and harm trends before and during the pandemic. They also explore the data driven recommendations given in the report for upscaling investment in alcohol policy solutions.
Special Event Alert
