title: Profits and pandemics: prevention of harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and drink industries.
abstract: The 2011 UN high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) called for multisectoral action including with the private sector and industry. However, through the sale and promotion of tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and drink (unhealthy commodities), transnational corporations are major drivers of global epidemics of NCDs. What role then should these industries have in NCD prevention and control? We emphasise the rise in sales of these unhealthy commodities in low-income and middle-income countries, and consider the common strategies that the transnational corporations use to undermine NCD prevention and control. We assess the effectiveness of self-regulation, public-private partnerships, and public regulation models of interaction with these industries and conclude that unhealthy commodity industries should have no role in the formation of national or international NCD policy. Despite the common reliance on industry self-regulation and public-private partnerships, there is no evidence of their effectiveness or safety. Public regulation and market intervention are the only evidence-based mechanisms to prevent harm caused by the unhealthy commodity industries.
authors: Melbourne School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. r.moodie@unimelb.edu.au
authors: Rob
authors: R
authors: Moodie
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Stuckler
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Monteiro
authors: Nick
authors: N
authors: Sheron
authors: Bruce
authors: B
authors: Neal
authors: Thaksaphon
authors: T
authors: Thamarangsi
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Lincoln
authors: Sally
authors: S
authors: Casswell
mesh_terms: D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003906:Developing Countries; D004032:Diet; D057140:Fast Foods; D019649:Food Industry; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D011634:Public Health; D019460:Tobacco Industry; D062789:Tobacco Products