The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7257 p38
12 July 2003

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Passive smoking issue raised by CMO

The health risk associated with passive smoking is one of five key public health issues highlighted by the Chief Medical Officer for England in his annual report.

Published last week, the report covers passive smoking, the safe administration of intrathecal chemotherapy, West Nile fever, obesity and poor clinical performance by NHS doctors. "The issues may sound familiar but I have chosen them either because they herald potentially serious problems in the future or because action so far has failed to make the inroads that are necessary," said Sir Liam Donaldson.

Passive smoking The CMO calls for all employers to introduce smoke-free workplaces and for "very serious consideration" to be given to introducing a ban on smoking in public places. He wants both health professionals' and the public's knowledge of the health risks from passive smoking to be improved.

In England, 27 per cent of adults smoke. "The majority of people in England are non-smokers and object to others smoking near them," the CMO says. "Moves to make public places and workplaces smoke-free would create a climate in which 'no smoking' is the social norm, it would help smokers to give up and it would remove the risks of passive smoking for millions of people."

The report's recommendations on passive smoking are strongly supported by PharmacyHealthLink. "We are calling for the Government to make the introduction of primary legislation to protect staff and the public from the harm caused by passive smoking a priority," said Dr Geof Rayner, director of PharmacyHealthLink. In May, the charity wrote to the then Health Secretary Alan Milburn to urge him to make all NHS premises "smoke-free".

Intrathecal chemotherapy Safe administration of intrathecal chemotherapy is highlighted in the report. National guidance on eliminating errors associated with intrathecal chemotherapy has been produced. However, the CMO says that some local NHS organisations have been slow in complying with this guidance. In addition, the Department of Health is working with manufacturers of intrathecal chemotherapy to identify a design solution to make it physically impossible to make an error.

West Nile fever Although the risk of West Nile fever coming to the United Kingdom is low, the CMO says that a contingency plan against the possibility of the disease emerging and becoming established is needed. Three factors — increases in the mosquito population, infection of domestic bird populations and climate changes — could result in the emergence of West Nile fever, as it has in the United States.

Obesity The CMO expresses concerns over rising levels of obesity, particularly among children. He suggests that health professionals and primary care trusts should take action to prevent and tackle obesity. Pharmaceutical companies producing drug treatments for obesity should help to provide training for primary care professionals on ways to tackle obesity and implement national guidance.