PHM-Exch> WHO sets the record straight on work with the food and beverage industry

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: SLAMA Slim <Slim.Slama at hcuge.ch>

* Statement by WHO Director-General /11
19 November 2012*



*Statement by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan*


*WHO sets the record straight on work with the food and beverage industry*


Several recent media articles[1]
<https://extranet.who.int/datacol/custom_view_mailing.asp?page=custom_view_mailing.asp&survey_id=876&view_id=1706&question_name=question_36347_0_0_0#_ftn1>are
creating misinformation and confusion in the public health arena. These
articles are erroneously suggesting that in working to reduce
noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers,
chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, the World Health Organization
(WHO) receives funding from the food and beverage industry. The allegations
in these articles are wrong.

Because of WHO’s role in the development of norms, standards and guidelines
for protecting and improving people’s health, WHO uses a rigorous process
to protect its work from undue industry influence. The private sector plays
an important role along with other key stakeholders in taking action to
improve health. When WHO works with the private sector, the Organization
takes all possible measures to ensure its work to develop policy and
guidelines is protected from industry influence.

   - WHO may engage with the private sector on occasion, but according to
   WHO policy, funds may not be sought or accepted from enterprises that have
   a direct commercial interest in the outcome of the project toward which
   they would be contributing.
   - All experts on WHO advisory groups for developing norms, standards and
   guidelines are required to disclose interests regarding the advisory
   committee’s area of work.  If a declared interest is potentially
   significant, then the expert is either excluded from the meeting or given a
   restricted role.

For this reason the Organization does not accept funding from the food and
beverage manufacturers for work on NCD prevention and control.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is unique among WHO’s Regional
Offices because it contains two separate legal entities – the WHO Regional
Office for the Americas (AMRO) and the health agency of the Organization of
the American States (PAHO). In some areas the two entities may have
variations in policy. For example, as mentioned in the media reports, in
its capacity as PAHO, food and beverage manufacturers have contributed
financially as part of a multi-sector forum to address NCDs.

The *Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the United Nations
General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable
Diseases,*agreed by global leaders at the UN General Assembly in 2011,
called on the
international community to undertake a series of actions. One of these
actions was to call on the private sector to promote measures to implement
WHO recommendations to reduce exposure to the risk factors which contribute
to NCDs. The WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health
commits WHO to hold discussions with the private sector, but the
Organization will not take money from private companies active in food and
beverage production for work on NCD prevention and control as implied by
the media articles.

WHO is committed to reducing the public health impacts associated with
NCDs. Hundreds of staff both at headquarters and in WHO’s Regional and
Country Offices work to develop evidence, tools and effective interventions
to help national governments take the action needed to prevent NCDs and
reduce their impact, by saving lives and reducing illness. Often, WHO’s
work focuses on policies and programmes to create health-promoting
environments and reduce the four principal risk factors that increase the
risk of these diseases: tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet
and harmful use of alcohol.

Because NCDs contribute to 36 million deaths, or 63%, of all deaths
globally each year, they are a priority for the Organization. Of the 36
million people who die annually from these diseases, 14 million are under
70 years of age, and regarded therefore as premature and largely
preventable deaths. About 80% of the deaths related to noncommunicable
disease occur in the developing world. WHO appreciates the support of
governments, civil society and other partners who are working closely with
us to reduce the death, illness and disability from these diseases.

*More information:*
The *Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the United Nations
General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases *
*www.who.int/nmh/events/un_ncd_summit2011/en/index.html*<http://www.who.int/nmh/events/un_ncd_summit2011/en/index.html>

Media contact:

Fadéla Chaib
Communications Officer / WHO Spokesperson
Department of Communications
Director-General's Office
World Health Organization. Geneva
Tel: +41 22 791 32 28
Mobile: +41 79 475 55 56
Email: chaibf at who.int

Twitter @WHO
Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/worldhealthorganization
Google+ Page http://gplus.to/WorldHealthOrganization
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/who
Instagr.am @worldhealthorganization






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[1] Mother Jones:  Is the Junk Food Industry Buying WHO?
1  November 2012

Reuters:  Special Report: Food, beverage industry pays for seat at
health-policy table.
19 October 2012

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