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BackgroundIn 2018, Scotland became the second country to implement minimum unit pricing (MUP) for all types of alcoholic beverages. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the policy.MethodThree national household-level surveys were used: Scottish Health Surveys (2008-2021), Health Surveys in England (2011-2019), and Northern Ireland Continuous Household Survey (2011-2015). First, a generalized ordered logistic model examined patterns of drinking solely in Scotland from 2008-2021 covering current drinking, drinking categories and the weekly consumption (in alcohol units). Secondly, difference-in-difference (DID) analysis was employed to examine changes in "social drinking" behaviours in Scotland after the announcement in 2012 (2011-2015, Northern Ireland and England as comparators) and after the adoption of the policy in 2018 (England as a comparator, with two timeframes 2016-2019 and 2013-2019).ResultsOverall, drinking in Scotland began to decline prior to 2012 and dropped further with the enactment of MUP in 2018. In response to MUP, the likelihood of abstention increased along with a slight decrease in the prevalence of heavy drinking. The overall amount of drinking fell by about 8% after 2012 and 12% after 2018 (as compared to 2008-2011 level), with a significant decline seen in moderate drinkers but not of those who drank at hazardous or harmful levels. The DID analyses confirmed the reduction in current drinking in Scotland starting since 2012 and continued post-MUP in 2018.ConclusionThis study points to the impact of MUP in Scotland with a potential role for 'policy signalling' by the Scottish Government's with a multiple-buy discount ban and MUP's announcement since 2011-2012. Indications of impact include a clear decline in alcohol consumption levels and a small but noteworthy change in prevalence of overall drinking and heavy drinking.

BackgroundTaxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been adopted in more than 40 countries but remained under discussion in Vietnam. This study aimed to estimate the health impacts of different SSBs tax plans currently under discussion to provide an evidence base to inform decision-making about a SSBs tax policy in Vietnam.Method & findingsFive tax scenarios were modelled, representing three levels of price increase: 5%, 11% and 19-20%. Scenarios of the highest price increase were assessed across three different tax designs: ad valorem, volume-based specific tax & sugar-based specific tax. We modelled SSBs consumption in each tax scenario; how this reduction in consumption translates to a reduction in total energy intake and how this relationship in turn translates to an average change in body weight and obesity status among adults by applying the calorie-to weight conversion factor. Changes in type 2 diabetes burden were then calculated based on the change in average BMI of the modelled cohort. A Monte Carlo simulation approach was applied on the conversion factor of weight change and diabetes risk reduction for the sensitivity analysis. We found that the taxation that involved a 5% price increase gave relatively small impacts while increasing SSBs' price up to 20% appeared to impact substantially on overweight and obesity rates (reduction of 12.7% and 12.4% respectively) saving 27 million USD for direct medical cost. The greatest reduction was observed for overweight and obesity class I. The decline in overweight and obesity rates was slightly higher for women than men.ConclusionThis study supports the SSB tax policy in pursuit of public health benefits, especially where the tax increase involves around a 20% price increase. The health benefit and revenue gains were evident across all three tax designs with the specific tax based on sugar density achieving greatest effects.

Purpose: To date, many kinds of classical swine fever (CSF) vaccines have been developed to protect against this disease. However, the efficacy of these vaccines to protect the pig against field CSF strains needs to be considered, based on circulating strains of classical swine fever virus (CSFV). Materials and Methods: Recombinant E2-CSFV protein produced by baculovirus/insect cell system was analyzed by western blots and immunoperoxidase monolayer assay. The effect of CSFV-E2 subunit vaccines was evaluated in experimental pigs with three genotypes of CSFV challenge. Anti-E2 specific and neutralizing antibodies in experimental pigs were analyzed by blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and neutralization peroxidize-linked assay. Results: The data showed that CSFV VN91-E2 subunit vaccine provided clinical protection in pigs against three different genotypes of CSFV without noticeable clinical signs, symptoms, and mortality. In addition, no CSFV was isolated from the spleen of the vaccinated pigs. However, the unvaccinated pigs exhibited high clinical scores and the successful virus isolation from spleen. These results showed that the E2-specific and neutralizing antibodies induced by VN91-E2 antigen appeared at day 24 after first boost and a significant increase was observed at day 28 (p<0.01). This response reached a peak at day 35 and continued until day 63 when compared to controls. Importantly, VN91-E2 induced E2-specific and neutralizing antibodies protected experimental pigs against high virulence of CSFVs circulating in Vietnam, including genotype 1.1, 2.1, and 2.2. Conclusion: These findings also suggested that CSFV VN91-E2 subunit vaccine could be a promising vaccine candidate for the control and prevention of CSFV in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]