The Nuffield Council on Bioethics set up an expert working party to examine the ethical issues surrounding public health in January 2006. The idea of a ‘nanny state’ is often rejected, but the state has a duty to look after the health of everyone, and sometimes that means guiding or restricting people’s choices. On the other hand, the state must consider a number of principles when designing public health programmes, and justification is required if any of these principles are to be infringed.

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