Harmful Commodity Industries and Their Effects on Public Health, and Public Health Science

Abstract

This talk will discuss how harmful commodity industries seek to influence policymakers, science (and scientists), and the public, through a range of strategies. It will discuss political strategies (such as lobbying and seeking to influence policymaking) science strategies (for example, funding industry-friendly research and researchers) and wider Corporate Social Responsibility strategies, such as industry-funded information and education campaigns. It will also identify the common characteristics of such campaigns. The talk will also seek to draw out the commonalities with the activities of other harmful commodity industries.

Mark Petticrew

Mark Petticrew is Professor of Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). He is Director of the NIHR Public Health Policy Research Unit. His main research interests are in evidence-based policymaking. His work also has a focus on the commercial determinants of health-in particular, the influence of unhealthy commodity industries on health (e.g. through the promotion of tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy foods, and gambling). Recent research includes analyses of misinformation disseminated by alcohol industry corporate social responsibility (CSR) bodies such as Drinkaware and Drinkwise. He is a collaborator in the SPECTRUM Consortium (See: https: //ukprp.org/what-we-fund/spectrum/). This consortium investigates the commercial determinants of health and health inequalities, focusing mainly on tobacco and alcohol but extending to unhealthy food (e.g. high in fat, salt and sugar) and gambling.