Groningen Centre for Health Law

Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are the most important public health challenge of our times. Four behavioral risk factors are at the root of these diseases: smoking, excessive use of alcohol, unhealthy diet and a lack of physical exercise.

Women in labour carry a series of reproductive and patients’ rights. Appertaining to this reproductive freedom, they have the right to choose the method of childbirth and the right to refuse any medical intervention.

Over 30 states and 40 business and civil society groups debated strategies for affordable and sustainable medicines prices at last month’s second WHO Fair Pricing Forum—co-sponsored by the government of South Africa.

Tabaksontmoediging is een divers en complex gebied dat tal van beleidsterreinen en rechtsgebieden doorkruist. Internationaal gezondheidsrecht, mensenrechten, Europees recht, nationaal gezondheidsrecht, omgevingsrecht, civiel en strafrechtelijke aansprakelijkheid, en belastingrecht zijn een greep uit de gebieden die het in Nederland te voeren tabaksbeleid (mede-)bepalen.

There are currently 68.5 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide, most of whom are dependent on humanitarian aid and assistance. Chronic conditions are evident across the refugee population and become heightened in protracted crisis.

Over the last decades, a specific type of human rights violation has been emphasized around the globe, especially in the inter-American region, which violates women's sexual and reproductive rights in particular.

On 1 February 2019, article 53(3), second sentence of the Dutch Patent Act 1995 came into force introducing a patent exemption for the preparation of medicines in a pharmacy. Article 53(1) of the Dutch Patent Act provides the usual list of exclusive acts reserved for the patent holder: to make, use, put on the market or resell, hire out or deliver the patented product, or otherwise deal in it in or for his business, or to offer, import or stock it for any of those purposes. The law now provides an exemption for pharmacy preparation to these exclusive acts.

Monday 4 February, the UK parliament will debate the issuing of a compulsory licence by the government, called ‘Crown use’, for the cystic fibrosis drug lumacaftor/ivacaftor (Orkambi) sold by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The topic was put on the agenda by Member of Parliament, Bill Wiggin.