Ahead of next week's UN Summit on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in New York, over 140 international NGOs and public health organisations are calling on the United Nations to urgently address their current approach to engaging with the food and beverage industry whose products and marketing contribute substantially to the development of NCDs that kill 36 million people every year.
"There are clear conflicts for the corporations that contribute to and profit from the sales of alcoholic beverages; foods with high fat, salt, and sugar contents; and tobacco products—all of which are important causes of NCDs", explain some of the NGOs in their Correspondence, published Online First in The Lancet.
Tobacco and alcohol use and poor diet contribute significantly to NCDs (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and cancer) that are responsible for 60% of all deaths worldwide.
The authors are concerned about the impact of the private sector on public-policy making relating to the prevention and control of NCDs, and warn that if key conflicts of interest are not addressed at this crucial informative stage: "Policies and recommendations will invariably be weakened to suit the interests of the powerful corporations…As a consequence, the public's health, workforce productivity, and the economy will be undermined by prioritising the interests of the food and beverage industries, as well as the pharmaceutical, technology, and treatment companies, over the public good."
To coincide with the meeting of the United Nations next week, over 140 public health organisations have highlighted their concerns by signing up to the 'Conflict of Interest Declaration'* that demands a clear distinction to be made between BINGOs (business-interest not-for-profit NGOs that are set up by, representing, or closely linked to, business interests) and PINGOs (public-interest NGOs) as well as calling for a code of conduct for interacting with the food and beverage industry and identifying and managing conflicts of interests.
The authors conclude by warning: "Failure to address these concerns will undermine the development of competent policy, the effectiveness and efficiency of programmes, and the confidence the global community and the public at large have in the UN's and WHO's ability to govern and advance public health, which will severely impair their capacity to help member states address NCDs."
Paul Lincoln, Chief Executive, National Heart Forum, London, UK.
T) +44 (0) 7946 433215 E) Paul.Lincoln@heartforum.org.uk (Available Friday)
Martin Wiseman, Medical and Scientific Adviser, World Cancer Research Fund International, London, UK.
T) +44 (0)7941 950370 E) m.wiseman@wcrf.org (Available Thursday pm and Friday pm)
Bill Jeffery, National Coordinator, Centre for Science in the Public Interest, Washington, USA.
T) +1 613 565 2140 E) bjeffery@cspinet.ca
Patti Rundall, Policy Director, Baby Milk Action, Cambridge, UK.
T) 44 (0)778 6 523493 E) prundall@babymilkaction.org (Available Friday)
Notes to Editors:
*The Conflict of Interest Declaration and list of signatories can be found at: http://info.babymilkaction.org/sites/info.babymilkaction.org/files/COIC%20single%20page%20143.pdf
Journal
The Lancet