Mandatory pregnancy health warning labels on alcohol: Listen to the experts not the industry

Abstract

On 17 July 2020, Ministers on the Forum of Food Regulation will have the opportunity to approve pregnancy health warning labels on alcohol that have been developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Labelling is one important evidence-based strategy to prevent the harms of alcohol use during pregnancy. Consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can be harmful to both the mother and foetus, necessitating an assertive health promotion and prevention response. 1-4 Preventable harms of alcohol include Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, pregnancy and birth complications, birth defects and developmental, learning and physical health problems. 1,5-8. In

It takes a village: Influencing policy and practice to prevent alcohol use in pregnancy and promote better outcomes for individuals living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

“…Our research also indicates that women want to receive information from health professionals [29]; together, these findings informed strategies to prevent alcohol use in pregnancy. For example, CRE investigators helped develop and advocate for mandatory, evidence-based pregnancy warning labels on alcohol harms [30]. Strong relationships with NOFASD Australia and FARE ensured scientific evidence and stories from families with lived experience were presented to the Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation and formed the basis of a national campaign.…”

“…Such activities undermine the progression of evidence-based alcohol policy; for example, delaying the implementation of mandatory alcohol health warning labels in Australia [60]. Future advocacy in this area should focus on demanding that governments exclude the alcohol industry from consultation on strategies designed to regulate alcohol products [30].…”

New frontiers in alcohol and gender: The role of health promotion policy and practice in Australia

“…In addition, women have always been at a greater risk for certain social harms associated with alcohol, particularly domestic, family and sexual violence [10]. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is another related concern [11].…”

“…Health promotion practitioners, however, have an important role to play in raising awareness about the role of preconception care, and the relevance of alcohol in this process. The provision of more support environments, such as the recent mandatory pregnancy health warning labels on alcohol, are also useful steps forward [11].…”

Pregnancy, partners and alcohol warning labels

“…Secondly, for reasons we expand on below, efforts aimed at reframing prenatal alcohol exposure from a ‘women‐only' issue to a responsibility shared by partners, families, friends and communities [3] could bring major gains in behaviour change. Thirdly, in July of this year, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code was amended to mandate specific pregnancy warning labels for all alcoholic beverages [4]. Acclaimed as a long overdue victory for public health, more than 150 organizations weighed in to back the policy, including the National Closing the Gap Committee and the Australian Human Rights Commission [5].…”