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This article explores the public health implications of a novel set of trade rules for the labelling of wine and spirits included in the final text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement ('TPP'), signed in February 2016. While the TPP seems unlikely to proceed in its current form, its alcohol labelling provisions are beginning to appear in subsequent regional trade agreements. These provisions include the requirement that parties allow wine and spirits suppliers to place country-specific information on a supplementary label rather than the main label. A government's interest in prioritisation of health warning, for instance, would thus be subordinated to the supplier's interest in its desired labelling. The new rules promote regulatory harmonisation, making it easier for producers to comply with different labelling requirements, but they also create potential challenges for countries wishing to introduce effective health warning schemes and other types of health information on alcohol containers. The article concludes that these challenges are probably not insurmountable, but the interpretation of the rules in the context of a complaint or dispute is uncertain, creating the potential for a deterrent effect against governments requiring health warning labels and other information. The burden of alcohol-related harm is considerable and there is a strong rationale for better health information on alcohol containers. In this context, it is important that the state's right to supply health information and use it to mark alcohol as 'no ordinary commodity' is preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to estimate the relative cost-effectiveness of treatment regimens for managing patients with sciatica. A deterministic model structure was constructed based on information from the findings from a systematic review of clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, published sources of unit costs, and expert opinion. The assumption was that patients presenting with sciatica would be managed through one of 3 pathways (primary care, stepped approach, immediate referral to surgery). Results were expressed as incremental cost per patient with symptoms successfully resolved. Analysis also included incremental cost per utility gained over a 12-month period. One-way sensitivity analyses were used to address uncertainty. The model demonstrated that none of the strategies resulted in 100% success. For initial treatments, the most successful regime in the first pathway was nonopioids, with a probability of success of 0.613. In the second pathway, the most successful strategy was nonopioids, followed by biological agents, followed by epidural/nerve block and disk surgery, with a probability of success of 0.996. Pathway 3 (immediate surgery) was not cost-effective. Sensitivity analyses identified that the use of the highest cost estimates results in a similar overall picture. While the estimates of cost per quality-adjusted life year are higher, the economic model demonstrated that stepped approaches based on initial treatment with nonopioids are likely to represent the most cost-effective regimens for the treatment of sciatica. However, development of alternative economic modelling approaches is required. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: With same-day online alcohol sales increasing, there is a need to study their regulation. Test purchasing of alcohol home delivery was conducted to measure compliance with regulations for identification checks and unattended deliveries in two Australian jurisdictions (Perth, Western Australia, and Geelong, Victoria), which have differing regulations., Method: Alcohol orders for same-day or rapid (<2 hours) delivery on Friday and Saturday nights were made by research assistants ages 18-24 years in Perth ( n = 34) and Geelong ( n = 29). An observation checklist was used to record the delivery interaction, with a specific focus on checking photo identification at the time of delivery and whether deliveries were left unattended., Results: The average time from order to delivery for rapid deliveries was less than 1 hour in both sites (Perth = 50 minutes; Geelong = 36 minutes). More than 20% of deliveries were made without an identification check in both sites (Perth = 24%; Geelong = 21%)., Conclusions: This pilot study showed that alcohol can be delivered to the home within 1 hour, and not all deliveries include an identification check at the point of delivery. These findings indicate a need for policies that empower regulators and police to undertake "mystery shopper" monitoring to reduce potential harms and improve compliance with alcohol delivery policy.

Background: Policy changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted on alcohol control. This study describes the development and application of a classification scheme to map alcohol policy changes during the first three-months of the COVID-19 pandemic in five countries and/or subnational jurisdictions., Method: A pre-registered systematic review of policy decisions from March to May 2020, in Australia/New South Wales, Canada/Ontario, Chile, Italy and the United Kingdom. One author extracted the data for each jurisdiction using a country-specific search strategy of government documents. We coded policy changes using an adapted WHO classification scheme, whether the policy was expected to tighten or loosen alcohol control, have mainly immediate or delayed impact on consumption and harm and impact the general population versus specific populations. We present descriptive statistics of policy change., Results: We developed a classification scheme with four levels. Existing policy options were insufficient to capture policy changes in alcohol availability, thus we added seventeen new sub-categories. We found 114 alcohol control policies introduced across the five jurisdictions, covering five (out of ten) WHO action areas. The majority aimed to change alcohol availability, by regulating the operation of alcohol outlets. All countries introduced closures to on-premise alcohol outlets and, except Chile, allowed off-sales via take away or home delivery. We also observed several pricing policies introducing subsidies to support the alcohol industry. Seventy-four percent of policy changes were expected to tighten alcohol control and 12.3 % to weaken control. Weakening policy changes were mostly related to retail mode switching or expansion (allowing take away or home delivery)., Conclusion: Alcohol control policies during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic were targeted primarily at alcohol availability and about one tenth might weaken alcohol control. Temporary changes to alcohol retail during the COVID-19 pandemic, if made permanent, could significantly expand alcohol availability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Sebastián Peña, Claire Wilkinson, Catherine Paradis, Liz Barrett, Francisca Román, Paula Sierralta, Sadie Boniface, Pablo Norambuena, Niamh Fitzgerald: declare no conflicts of interest. Giovanni Aresi has been the principal investigator of a research project funded by the European Foundation for Alcohol Research between 2015 and 2017., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic presents the opportunity to learn about solitary drinking as many people were forced to spend time at home. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between solitary drinking and living without other adults on alcohol consumption., Methods: A longitudinal study with four survey waves (between May and November 2020) obtained seven-day drinking diary data from Australian adults living in New South Wales. In May, a convenience sample of 586 participants (Mage = 35.3, SD = 14.8; 65.3% women) completed the first wave. Participants then completed a survey in June (n = 319, 54.4% response rate), July/August (n = 225, 38.4% response rate), and November (n = 222, 37.9% response rate). Information about alcohol consumption including risky drinking (more than four drinks on one occasion), household structure, solitary drinking, and demographics were collected. We conducted random-effects panel bivariate and multivariable regression analyses predicting the number of standard drinks and risky drinking., Results: Participants with solitary drinking occasions consumed more and had more risky drinking occasions than participants with no solitary drinking occasions, which was also found to be the case during lockdown. Living without other adults was associated with less consumption and less risky drinking than living with other adults. However, participants who lived without other adults and had frequent solitary drinking occasions (solitary drinking in >50% drinking occasions) reported more consumption than participants without a solitary drinking occasion., Conclusions: Individuals who consume alcohol alone and live without other adults or spend long periods of time at home may be more at risk of alcohol-related harm., (© The Author(s) 2024. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press.)

Introduction: Variation in alcohol availability is an important driver of levels of consumption and harm, with recent increases in online alcohol home delivery use expanding availability. There is limited research on the impacts of these changes and the characteristics of consumers who use alcohol home delivery., Methods: This study presents findings from an online survey (n = 465) of Western Australian adults who had purchased alcohol for home delivery within the past 6 months. Analyses compared high-risk and low-risk drinkers on use of, and exposure to, alcohol home delivery., Results: Compared to low-risk drinkers, high-risk drinkers were significantly more likely to make more frequent online purchases (odds ratio 5.42), utilise same day delivery (odds ratio 2.91) and purchase through specialised online-only retailers (odds ratio 2.69). High-risk drinkers also reported receiving deliveries while intoxicated more often (odds ratio 11.62), and ordering alcohol for delivery to continue a current drinking session (odds ratio 7.47). High-risk drinkers also received advertising for alcohol home delivery more frequently (odds ratio 1.60) than low-risk drinkers. High-risk drinkers also ordered larger quantities of alcohol than low-risk drinkers (M = 49 vs. 32 standard drinks)., Discussion and Conclusions: Findings from this study indicate that these services are popular with high-risk drinkers and potentially undermine other policy efforts to reduce drinking. Within Australia, stronger legislation (such as mandatory delay between order and delivery) and monitoring (e.g., test purchasing for compliance) are recommended., (© 2023 The Authors. Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

Introduction: The past decade has seen a shift towards online purchasing and home delivery of alcohol, with this trend accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research in this area is limited. This study aims to explore how and why people use online alcohol delivery services., Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews (mean = 12.5 min; range = 7-19.5 min) with a convenience sample of 40 Australians ≥18 years who purchase alcohol online for delivery at least once per month. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse and report the data., Results: Three themes were generated. (i) The convenience is a 'double-edged sword': almost all participants expressed that they use alcohol delivery services because they reduce difficulty in obtaining alcohol by saving time or energy/effort; however, for some this could lead them to purchase and consume more alcohol than they otherwise would have. (ii) Cost savings motivate online purchases: some participants expressed that they could access alcohol more cheaply online than in-store due to promotions, cost-comparisons and the ability to shop at low-cost outlets. (iii) Initiating or increasing use during the COVID-19 pandemic: for some people continued or increased use had been maintained as they had grown accustomed to the convenience or changed shopping habits., Discussion and Conclusion: Participants purchased alcohol online for home delivery primarily for convenience; however, for some the convenience could lead them to purchase and consume more alcohol than they otherwise would have. Targeted improvements to the regulation of these services are needed to minimise the risks they may pose for alcohol harm., (© 2023 The Authors. Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

Background and Aims: Restrictive late-night alcohol policies are aimed at reducing alcohol-related violence but, to date, no evaluations of their impact on family and domestic violence have been conducted. This study aimed to measure whether modifying the drinking environment and restricting on-site trading hours affected reported rates of family and domestic violence., Design, Setting and Participants: This study used a non-equivalent control group design with two treatment sites and two matched control sites with pre- and postintervention data on rates of family and domestic violence assaults within local catchment areas of four late-night entertainment precincts in New South Wales, Australia, covering a population of 27 309 people. Participants comprised monthly counts of police-recorded incidents of domestic violence assaults from January 2001 to December 2019., Interventions and Comparators: Two variations of restrictive late-night interventions were used: restricted entry to late-night venues after 1:30 a.m., trading ceasing at 3:30 a.m. and other restrictions on alcohol service (Newcastle); and restricted entry to late-night venues after 1 a.m. and a range of restrictions on alcohol service (Hamilton). The comparators were no restrictions on late-night trading or modifications of the drinking environment (Wollongong and Maitland)., Measurements: Measurements involved the rate, type and timing of reported family and domestic violence assaults., Findings: Reported rates of domestic violence assaults fell at both intervention sites, while reported domestic violence assaults increased over time in the control sites. The protective effects in Newcastle were robust and statistically significant across three main models. The relative reduction associated with the intervention in Newcastle was 29% (incidence rate ratio = 0.71, 95% confidence interval: 0.60-0.83) and an estimated 204 assaults were prevented across the duration of the study. The protective effects found in Hamilton were not consistently supported across the three main models., Conclusions: Increases to late-night alcohol restrictions may reduce rates of domestic violence., (© 2023 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Introduction: Online alcohol purchasing and home delivery has increased in recent years, accelerated by the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This article aims to investigate the purchasing and drinking behaviour of Australians who use online alcohol delivery services., Method: A cross-sectional self-report survey with a convenience sample of 1158 Australians ≥18 years (49.3% female) who used an online alcohol delivery service in the past 3 months, recruited through paid social media advertisements from September to November 2021. Quota sampling was used to obtain a sample with age and gender strata proportional to the Australian adult population. Descriptive statistics were generated and logistic regression used to explore variables that predict hazardous/harmful drinking (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score ≥8)., Results: One-in-five (20.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 17.8-22.5) participants had used an alcohol delivery service to extend a home drinking session because they had run out of alcohol and wanted to continue drinking and, of these, one-third (33.9%, 95% CI 27.9-40.4) indicated that if the service was not available they would have stopped drinking. Using delivery services in this way was associated with six times higher odds of drinking at hazardous/harmful levels (odds ratio 6.26, 95% CI 3.78-10.36). Participants ≤25 years were significantly more likely to report never having their identification verified when receiving their alcohol delivery at the door compared with purchasing takeaway alcohol in-person at a bottle shop (p < 0.001, McNemar)., Discussion and Conclusion: Given the risks associated with alcohol delivery, regulation of these services should be improved to meet the same standards as bricks-and-mortar bottle shops., (© 2023 The Authors. Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

Introduction: Most studies of alcohol policy have focussed on the role of industry. However, little is known about the evidence base used in alcohol policymaking or policymakers' actions in the field. Here, we mapped the different evidence types used in a case study to construct a classification framework of the evidence types used in alcohol policymaking., Methods: Using a case study from the state-level in Australia, we used content analysis to delineate the evidence types cited across six phases of a policymaking process. We then grouped these types into a higher-level classification framework. We used descriptive statistics to study how the different evidence types were used in the policymaking process., Results: Thirty-one evidence types were identified in the case study, across four classes of knowledge: person knowledge, shared knowledge, studied knowledge and practice knowledge. The participating public preferenced studied knowledge. Policymakers preferenced practice knowledge over all other types of knowledge., Discussion and Conclusion: The classification framework expands on models of evidence and knowledge used across public health, by mapping new evidence types and proposing an inductive method of classification. The policymakers' preferences found here are in line with theories regarding the alcohol industry's influence on policymaking. The classification framework piloted here can provide a useful tool to examine the evidence base used in decision-making. Further study of evidence types used in policymaking processes can help inform research translation and advocacy efforts to produce healthier alcohol policies., (© 2023 The Authors. Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

The Type I Interferon cytokine family member, Interferon-α2b (hIFN-α2b), modulates a number of important biological mechanisms including anti-proliferation, immunoregulation and antiviral responses. Due to its role in the immune system, hIFN-α2b has been used as a therapeutic modulator in hepatitis C as well as some forms of leukaemia. Clinical grade hIFN-α2b is typically produced in bacterial expression systems that involves complex refolding protocols and subsequent loss of yields. In this study, we describe an expression and purification system for hIFN-α2b from mammalian cells. Application of the Trypsin-1 signal peptide-propeptide domain significantly improved the expression and secretion of hIFN-α2b from HEK293 cells. We established a simple purification strategy that yields homogenous, pure hIFN-α2b that is stable and biologically active., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Customers of online alcohol retailers are exposed to marketing displayed on alcohol retailers' websites and may also receive direct marketing via email and text message once contact details are provided in an online sale. To date, this direct marketing activity from online alcohol retailers has not been studied. This study aims to document the quantity and content of marketing material received by customers of online alcohol retailers in Australia, and whether the material complies with relevant regulation., Methods: A cross-sectional study of direct marketing from the 100 most popular online alcohol retailers in Australia. Marketing material received via email and text message was collected for three-months from March to June 2021. Email and text messages were coded for 17 variables in four categories: primary purpose of the communication; compliance with relevant regulations; marketing themes and practices used; and offers, promotions, and discounts., Results: We received 1496 emails from 85 of the 100 retailers. Of the retailers who sent emails, the number sent varied widely (Mdn=8; IQR=2-21). Seven retailers sent a total of 18 text messages. The primary purpose of most emails (67.4%) was to advertise a special or offer a discount. Almost all emails (98.6%) complied with spam legislation to include an unsubscribe link, but around half (46.5%) of emails from retailers in jurisdictions where the inclusion of a liquor license number is mandatory, failed to include one. The most common marketing theme was to link specific times or events to drinking (18.8%). Almost half (48.5%) of emails advertised free or discounted delivery for purchasing over a specified threshold., Conclusion: Most online alcohol retailers in Australia are engaging in direct marketing to their customers via email. More research is needed to understand how these emails may influence purchasing and consumption., Competing Interests: Declarations of Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Online alcohol sales are experiencing rapid growth in many places, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting new laws and regulations. There are no comprehensive and systematic analyses of the laws or their effectiveness., Objective: To summarise international policies governing online alcohol sale and delivery, including changes occurring with COVID-19, and examine available evidence of retailer compliance with such policies., Method: A policy review of 77 jurisdictions in six English-speaking OECD countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. We synthesised policies according to ten elements identified as potentially relevant for public health regulation. A systematic literature review of compliance evaluations in Medline, Medline Epub, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and Google Scholar., Results: 72 of 77 jurisdictions permitted online alcohol sales and home delivery. Few jurisdictions require age verification at the time of purchase (n = 7), but most require it at delivery (n = 71). Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, most jurisdictions (69%) have either temporarily or permanently relaxed liquor regulations for alcohol home delivery. Three articles examined retailer compliance with age restrictions and found relatively low compliance (0%-46%)., Conclusion: Many jurisdictions permit the online sale and delivery of alcohol, but regulation of these sales varies widely. In most, regulations do not meet the same standard as bricks-and-mortar establishments and may be insufficient to prevent youth access., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Authors have no interests to declare., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare the effects of human Trypsin-1 signal peptide and pro-peptide on the expression and secretion efficiency of human Interleukin-25 from mammalian cells., Results: The signal peptide and combined signal peptide-pro-peptide sequence of human Trypsin-1 improved the secretion of human IL-25 from 1.7 to 3.2 µg/ml and 1.7 to 8.2 µg/ml, respectively. Deletion analysis identified the minimal Trypsin-1 derived secretion domain that maintains improved human Interleukin-25 production and secretion. The presence of Trypsin-1 pro-peptide sequence does not affect the function of secreted human Interleukin-25., Conclusion: The Trypsin-1 signal peptide-pro-peptide sequence increased human IL-25 expression and secretion in mammalian cells by fivefold.

Introduction and Aims: Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for death and disability, responsible for 3 million deaths in 2016. The alcohol industry is a powerful player in shaping trade and investment rules in ways that can constrain the ability of governments to regulate alcoholic beverages to reduce harm. This paper analyses publicly available submissions about alcohol in the context of Australia's free trade agreements to determine the key themes put forward by industry., Design and Methods: We searched for submissions made to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade by alcohol industry trade associations, alcohol manufacturers, distributors and retailers, general industry association, and government agencies with responsibilities for alcohol trade, about specific free trade agreements involving Australia. Thirty-one submissions in relation to eight trade agreements were included for analysis. The analysis involved both descriptive content analysis and thematic analysis., Results: Findings suggest that industry is actively seeking to shape trade negotiations around alcohol. Priority issues for the industry include improving market access, harmonising regulation, improving clarity and transparency, reducing the burden of regulation and preventing monopolies on product names., Discussion and Conclusion: The alcohol industry and associated business and government organisations are actively working to influence trade agreement negotiations for industry economic gain, arguing for rules which may undermine public health goals. The analysis suggests that public health experts should pay attention to trade and investment agreements and develop counter frames to ensure agreements do not create barriers for coherent health policies., (© 2020 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

Introduction: There is international interest in how to limit growth in alcohol availability in areas of high outlet density in order to reduce alcohol-related harms. Town planning legislation in Victoria, Australia, allows local government officers to refuse planning permits for new licensed premises on 'cumulative impact' grounds (impacts from existing alcohol outlet density). State guidelines (PN61) outline how local government planners should approach cumulative impact assessments. This paper explores officers' views and experience assessing cumulative impact in order to understand whether the legislation assists officers limit alcohol availability in areas of high outlet density., Methods: Interviews with 22 officers from 11 local governments who were recruited with purposive sampling to reflect a range of licensing environments. Interview transcripts were analysed inductively, and content categorized accordingly., Findings: Officers challenged the definition and relevance of the alcohol outlet density threshold provided in state guidelines. They faced problems securing relevant amenity data for assessing cumulative impact and pointed to the guidelines' inadequacy for assessing off-premise licences. They pointed to the limits of cumulative impact assessments as a tool for planning and were unconvinced they would lead to reductions in permits granted., Conclusions: A single state-wide density threshold to guide cumulative impact assessments is unlikely to be a relevant measure for several local governments. A greater orientation towards municipal variation and alcohol outlet characteristics is needed. Further research is needed to investigate whether cumulative impact assessments increase restrictions on liquor licence planning permits and whether the adoption of local planning policies strengthens restrictive permit decision-making. International implications of the research are noted., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Established in 2006, the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR) is Australia's only research centre with a primary focus on alcohol policy. CAPR has four main areas of research: alcohol policy impacts; alcohol policy formation and regulatory processes involved in implementing alcohol policies; patterns and trends in drinking and alcohol problems in the population; and the influence of drinking norms, cultural practices and social contexts, particularly in interaction with alcohol policies. In this paper, we give examples of key publications in each area. During the past decade, the number of staff employed at CAPR has increased steadily and now hovers at approximately 10. CAPR has supported the development of independent researchers who collaborate on a number of international projects, such as the Alcohol's Harm to Others study which is now replicated in approximately 30 countries. CAPR receives core funding from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, and staff have been highly successful in securing additional competitive research funding. In 2016, CAPR moved to a new institutional setting at La Trobe University and celebrated 10 years of operation., (© 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Purpose: This study sought to test the acceptability and feasibility of a nurse-led psycho-educational intervention (NLPI) delivered in primary care to prostate cancer survivors, and to provide preliminary estimates of the effectiveness of the intervention., Methods: Men who reported an ongoing problem with urinary, bowel, sexual or hormone-related functioning/vitality on a self-completion questionnaire were invited to participate. Participants were randomly assigned to the NLPI plus usual care, or to usual care alone. Recruitment and retention rates were assessed. Prostate-related quality of life, self-efficacy, unmet needs, and psychological morbidity were measured at baseline and 9 months. Health-care resource use data was also collected. An integrated qualitative study assessed experiences of the intervention., Results: 61% eligible men (83/136) participated in the trial, with an 87% (72/83) completion rate. Interviews indicated that the intervention filled an important gap in care following treatment completion, helping men to self-manage, and improving their sense of well-being. However, only a small reduction in unmet needs and small improvement in self-efficacy was observed, and no difference in prostate-related quality of life or psychological morbidity. Patients receiving the NLPI recorded more primary care visits, while the usual care group recorded more secondary care visits. Most men (70%; (21/30)) felt the optimal time for the intervention was around the time of diagnosis/before the end of treatment., Conclusions: Findings suggest a nurse-led psycho-educational intervention in primary care is feasible, acceptable and potentially useful to prostate cancer survivors., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)