International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

“Big” Food, Tobacco, and Alcohol: Reducing Industry Influence on Noncommunicable Disease Prevention Laws and Policies; Comment on “Addressing NCDs: Challenges From Industry Market Promotion and Interferences”

Document Type : Commentary

Authors
Belinda Reeve 1
Lawrence O. Gostin 2
1 The University of Sydney Law School, Sydney, NSW, Australia
2 O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC, USA
10.15171/ijhpm.2019.30
Abstract
The food, tobacco and alcohol industries have penetrated markets in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with a significant impact on these countries’ burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Tangcharoensathien and colleagues describe the aggressive marketing of unhealthy food, alcohol and tobacco in LMICs, as well as key tactics used by these industries to resist laws and policies designed to reduce behavioural risk factors for NCDs. This commentary expands on the recommendations made by Tangcharoensathien and colleagues for preventing or managing conflicts of interest and reducing undue industry influence on NCD prevention policies and laws, focusing on the needs of LMICs. A growing body of research proposes ways to design voluntary industry initiatives to make them more effective, transparent and accountable, but governments should also consider whether collaboration with health-harming industries is ever appropriate. More fundamentally, mechanisms for identifying, managing and mitigating conflicts of interest and reducing industry influence must be woven into – and supported by – broader governance and regulatory structures at both national and international levels.
Keywords
Conflicts of Interest
Noncommunicable Disease
Law
Policy
Industry Influence
Subjects
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International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 8, Issue 7
July 2019
Pages 450-454

  • Received Date 08 April 2019
  • Revised Date 08 May 2019
  • Accepted Date 11 May 2019
  • First Published Date 01 July 2019
  • Published Date 01 July 2019