Commercially driven efforts to frame alcohol harms have no place in UK health policy development

There is considerable evidence of the role of commercial actors, particularly harmful commodity producers, and the trade associations and third party organisations they fund, in shaping policy and public discourse to their own ends.12 These actors undermine the adoption of effective prevention policies3 while presenting themselves as health experts and self-regulators.4 The cross-industry use of such strategies, including by the alcohol industry, is well documented. The World Health Organization (WHO) thus recommends that alcohol producers should not be part of policy considerations, beyond policy implementation.56Despite this, in the UK, the alcohol industry remains an active participant in alcohol policy development. A recent parliamentary oral evidence session7 focused on preventing alcohol harms serves as a pertinent reminder of how industry influence is an important obstacle to progress at a time of record highs in alcohol harm.8The first oral evidence session of the Health Select committee’s work stream on preventing alcohol harm7…
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