From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Patti Rundall</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:prundall@babymilkaction.org">prundall@babymilkaction.org</a>></span><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div><br><div style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px"><b><font face="Helvetica">65th World Health Assembly (21st-26th May) Concerns about </font>the NCD Alliance proposal for a Global Platform on NCDs</b></div>
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br>In the run up to the WHA next week we heard about a new proposal by the NCDAlliance, calling on Member States to support the creation of a Global Platform on NCDs.<br><br>Many NGO members of the Conflict of Interest Coalition have written to NCDa to express concerns about this idea, that the places the Private Sector in the driving seat of health policy planning. <br>
<br>In response to these concerns we are pleased that the NCDa has now added a reference to <i>"appropriate safeguards against vested interests,"</i> to its new statement issued today (18th May) An important step in the right direction. <br>
<br>However, many of us still feel that after all the discussions that have taken place at the UN and WHO, this proposal takes us backwards rather than forwards. It undermines the main concerns of Conflict of Interest Coalition that a clear differentiation is made between policy, norms and standards development and appropriate involvement in implementation. We fear that this muddles the issue and will play into the hands of those who favour slow, incremental industry-friendly voluntary approaches rather than legally binding measures that hold the private sector accountable for their practices.</div>
<div><br></div><div>The NCDa will have a meeting on Monday where the idea will be launched entitled <i>Champions and Alliances: Working in Partnership to Secure a Global Platform on NCDs</i><br><br>I have tried to sum up some of the concerns on my blog on this link:</div>
<div><u><a href="http://info.babymilkaction.org/NCDAlliance" target="_blank">http://info.babymilkaction.org/NCDAlliance</a></u></div><div><br></div><div> Have a good weekend</div><div><br></div><div>Patti</div><div><br><div style="font-size:15px">
<b>Other news and links that may be useful to you</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><ul><li><b> New PAHO expert recommendations on Marketing of foods and drinks to Children in the Americas </b><u><a href="http://info.babymilkaction.org/PAHO" target="_blank">http://info.babymilkaction.org/PAHO</a> </u></li>
<li><i>How Washington went soft on Childhood Obesity</i>: <span style="color:rgb(73,73,73);font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:62px;line-height:20px"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:'Minion Pro';line-height:normal;font-size:medium"> </span></span><span style="color:rgb(73,73,73);font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:62px;line-height:20px"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:'Minion Pro';line-height:normal;font-size:medium"><a href="http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/12/04/Food_lobby.pdf" style="color:rgb(204,0,0);text-decoration:none" target="_blank">http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/12/04/Food_lobby.pdf</a></span></span></li>
<li><i>Nestlé and Food Safety: discrepancy between the company’s public statements and actual practices</i>: Swiss TV station featuring the story of a court case brought against Nestlé by a former employee. <u><a href="http://info.babymilkaction.org/NestlefrenchTV" target="_blank">http://info.babymilkaction.org/NestlefrenchTV</a></u></li>
<li>The <b>International Diabetes Federation </b>(IDF) (one of NCDa's 4 steering group members) has signed a 3 year deal with Nestlé - pushing its education programme Healthy Kids. </li><li>Deborah Cohen of the BMJ has done a blog about it <a href="http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2012/05/14/deborah-cohen-on-nestle-and-the-international-diabetes-federation-comfortable-bedfellows/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+bmj/blogs+%28Latest+BMJ+blogs%29" target="_blank">here</a>:</li>
<li><u><font face="'Minion Pro'"><a href="http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2012/05/14/deborah-cohen-on-nestle-and-the-international-diabetes-federation-comfortable-bedfellows/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+bmj/blogs+%28Latest+BMJ+blogs%29" target="_blank">http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2012/05/14/deborah-cohen-on-nestle-and-the-international-diabetes-federation-comfortable-bedfellows/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bmj%2Fblogs+(Latest+BMJ+blogs)</a></font></u></li>
<li><font face="'Minion Pro'"> </font><font face="'Minion Pro'">The Guardian also covered it<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/09/hugh-muir-diary-surveillance" target="_blank"> HERE</a>: </font><u><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/09/hugh-muir-diary-surveillance" target="_blank">http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/09/hugh-muir-diary-surveillance</a></u></li>
<li><b> Swiss TV news bulletin about the court case brought against Nestlé by a former employee. </b><u><a href="http://info.babymilkaction.org/NestleSwissTV" target="_blank">http://info.babymilkaction.org/NestleSwissTV</a></u>Article by Corrina Hawkes in today's BMJ, <i>Food policies for healthy populations and healthy economies </i>BMJ 2012; 344 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e2801 (Published 15 May 2012)</li>
<li>Cite this as: BMJ 2012;344:e2801 <a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e2801?etoc=" target="_blank">http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e2801?etoc=</a></li><li><b>European Food Safety Authority and conflicts of interest:</b> <a href="http://info.babymilkaction.org/news/policyblog" target="_blank">http://info.babymilkaction.org/news/policyblog</a></li>
<li><b>Baby Milk Action Update 44</b>: <u><a href="http://info.babymilkaction.org/update/update44contents" target="_blank">http://info.babymilkaction.org/update/update44contents</a></u></li><li>The <a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_wha65.html" target="_blank">AGENDA </a> and background papers for the WHA are <a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_wha65.html" target="_blank">here</a>: <u><a href="http://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_wha65.html" target="_blank">http://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_wha65.html</a> </u> NCDs and other technical issues such as Maternal and Infant and Young Child Nutrition will happen first, followed by WHO Reform. (see some of the NGO comments on WHO Consultation here: <u><a href="http://info.babymilkaction.org/partnershipconsultation" target="_blank">http://info.babymilkaction.org/partnershipconsultation</a> )</u></li>
<li><b>Demonstration 19 May 2012: The Nestle monster is on the loose - trampling on the rights of mothers and babies</b><u> <a href="http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease19may12" target="_blank">http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease19may12</a></u></li>
</ul></div><div><div><u><br></u></div><div></div></div><br></div><br></div></div></div></div><br>