Abstract
Vietnam is currently considering a Tobacco Harm Prevention Law and the Ministry of Health has been asked to provide supporting evidence. This analysis explores factors influencing uptake of evidence in that legislation process. The political environment reflects the government's ambivalence over how to balance health and socioeconomic issues of tobacco control in a state-owned industry. Although the growing presence of transnational tobacco companies is alarming, the role of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in prompting government compliance with set milestones is encouraging. Evidence of effectiveness of interventions for health needs now to be complemented with socioeconomic evaluation, and strengthening of the ties between advocates and decision makers.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Dr Tuan A. Khuong, Mr Nguyen Hai Phong, and Ms Nguyen Thi Minh Hieu from the Health Strategy and Policy Institute, Ministry of Health for their support in collecting information.
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As Vietnam considers a Tobacco Harm Prevention Law, the authors explore factors influencing uptake of evidence in writing that legislation. They describe an environment that reflects government ambivalence: How to balance health and socioeconomic issues of tobacco control where there is a state-owned tobacco industry.
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Higashi, H., Ngo, A. & Hill, P. Translating knowledge into policy: Provision and use of evidence in the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law in Vietnam. J Public Health Pol 33, 454–461 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2012.28
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2012.28