Diageo, University College Dublin and the integrity of alcohol science: it's time to draw the line between public health and public relations

Babor, Thomas F.

doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01638.x

Cited by 15 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…A core concern of the research community relates to the reasons why alcohol industry actors are involved in science 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. Attention has been consistently drawn to the legitimation and public relations benefits of industry involvements in science.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Attention has been consistently drawn to the legitimation and public relations benefits of industry involvements in science. Babor 20 provided an example of the chief executive of a global alcohol producer articulating a strategic motivation for providing research funding to a university (in a speech to an industry group reported in a national newspaper):‘ He [the chief executive] said the company did not want problems with binge drinking to lead governments to place higher taxes on its products and thus eat into revenues. The UCD [an Irish university] research funding is thus the perfect example of “enlightened self‐interest ”’ 20.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Babor 20 provided an example of the chief executive of a global alcohol producer articulating a strategic motivation for providing research funding to a university (in a speech to an industry group reported in a national newspaper):

‘ He [the chief executive] said the company did not want problems with binge drinking to lead governments to place higher taxes on its products and thus eat into revenues. The UCD [an Irish university] research funding is thus the perfect example of “enlightened self‐interest ”’ 20.

It has been widely suggested that there is an inherent conflict of interest between the commercial goals of industry actors and the production and dissemination of public health research 2, 3, 16, 21, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41. This arises because such research may provide evidence of the harms caused by the industry's products and practices 17, 26.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The UCD [an Irish university] research funding is thus the perfect example of “enlightened self‐interest ”’ 20.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The possible value of relationships with the international research community for influencing policy makers has been of particular concern 2, 3, 20, 29, 30, 31, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, with the International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP), an alcohol industry organisation created by major global producers being prominent 18, 46, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70. ICAP activities in low and middle income countries have received widespread attention 18, 57, 58, 62, 64, 69, 71.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Alcohol industry involvement in science: A systematic review of the perspectives of the alcohol research community

McCambridge

Mialon

2018

Drug and Alcohol Review

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IssuesAlcohol companies have recently invested large sums of money in answering research questions to which they have clear vested interests in the outcomes. There have been extensive concerns about corporate influence on public health sciences, following the experience with the tobacco industry.ApproachThis systematic review aims to investigate the perspectives of researchers on the activities of alcohol industry actors in relation to science, in order to guide future research. All data published in peer‐reviewed journals (including commentaries, opinion pieces, editorials and letters as well as research reports) were eligible for inclusion. This analysis focuses on the manifest rather than latent content of the articulated views, and accordingly adopts a thematic analysis using an inductive approach to the generation of themes.Key FindingsThere are serious concerns identified in three main areas, principally defined by where the impacts of industry scientific activities occur; on evidence informed policy making (instrumental uses of research by industry actors), on the content of the scientific evidence base itself (industry funding as a source of bias); and on the processes of undertaking research (transgressions of basic scientific norms). There are also opposing views which provide a useful critique. The evidence‐base on the validity of all concerns has been slow to develop.ImplicationsThe concerns are extensive, longstanding and unresolved and high quality investigations are needed.ConclusionThis study informs the detailed content of the research needed to address the concerns identified here.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The UCD [an Irish university] research funding is thus the perfect example of “enlightened self‐interest ”’ 20.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Alcohol industry involvement in science: A systematic review of the perspectives of the alcohol research community

McCambridge

Mialon

2018

Drug and Alcohol Review

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‘Responsible drinking’ programs and the alcohol industry in Brazil: Killing two birds with one stone?

Pantani

Sparks

Sanchez

et al. 2012

Social Science & Medicine

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Over the last decade, the Brazilian alcohol industry - which for years has ignored alcohol problems - inaugurated responsible drinking programs (RDPs). This paper reports findings from an exploratory study that investigated the RDP-related activities of six leading alcohol companies in Brazil (three national, three transnational) focusing on program goals and components, target populations and evaluation methods. Interviews were conducted from October 2007 to February 2008 with nine key-informants, and 71 corporate documents were collected along with additional web information about the programs. Content analysis of interviews and institutional documents was used to identify the companies' RDP activities. Three types of RDPs were found that focused respectively on institutional action, drinking and driving, and underage drinking. All three transnational firms were involved in RDPs, whereas national firms demonstrated limited involvement. The majority of RDPs were implemented using television. No targeted research appears to have been undertaken by the companies to assess the efficacy of the strategies in terms of changes in drinking behavior. The evidence for both national and transnational firms means that is difficult to confirm that the responsible drinking programs produced so far in Brazil have been undertaken to systematically reduce alcohol problems, or mainly as part of a public relations strategy to reduce criticism and potentially forestall government regulations (Babor, 2006, 2009; Jernigan, 2009).

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Ethical issues related to receiving research funding from the alcohol industry and other commercial interests

Babor¹,

Robaina²

2012

Genetic Research on Addiction

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Diageo, University College Dublin and the integrity of alcohol science: it's time to draw the line between public health and public relations

Cited by 15 publications

References 14 publications

Alcohol industry involvement in science: A systematic review of the perspectives of the alcohol research community

Alcohol industry involvement in science: A systematic review of the perspectives of the alcohol research community

‘Responsible drinking’ programs and the alcohol industry in Brazil: Killing two birds with one stone?

Ethical issues related to receiving research funding from the alcohol industry and other commercial interests

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