Government did not suppress health inequalities report

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7518.698-a

BMJ 2005;331:698 (24 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7518.698-a

Letter

Government did not suppress health inequalities report

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Shaw et al repeat claims that the government suppressedits health inequalities report.¹ This is nonsense.

Tackling Health Inequalities, actively promoted and announcedvia a press release issued to 1300 journalists and media outlets,received widespread coverage, including stories in the nationaland regional press.

Professor Sir Michael Marmot, the report author, was extensivelyinterviewed.

We as the government can, therefore, hardly be accused of ahushed up release.

We are determined to reduce health inequalities. The reportshowed that we are moving in the right direction and highlightedthe further work that needs to be done.

However, the report's data dated back to 2003. Last Novemberwe published the Choosing Health White Paper aimed at improvinghealth and tackling health inequalities. Health trainers areone of many initiatives in Choosing Health which will help narrowthe inequalities gap by helping people to make healthier choicesin their . . . [Full text of this article]

Caroline Flint, minister for public health

Department of Health, Richmond House, London SW1A 2NS brenda.irons-roberts@dh.gsi.gov.uk

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