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

Abstract

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.

Alcohol Industry Involvement in the Moderate Alcohol and Cardiovascular Health Trial

“…Despite the termination of the trial, however, the data analysed suggests that alcohol industry actors benefited from their donations in other ways, including gaining insight into alcohol research and policy both at the U.S. and global level. Concerns have been raised within the scientific community about ICAP and IARD's role in science 21 and policy, 12 and this particular case demonstrates the need for further study of IARD's ongoing activities, especially relationship-building with researchers and officials. We encourage the NIAAA to recognise the need to strengthen the alcohol policy evidence-base by funding research on industry's commercial, political, and scientific activities.…”

“…14 Unlike the tobacco industry, there are few accessible internal alcohol company documents that permit direct insights into how strategies are developed and executed to bias science or influence policy. 12,21 Further study of this episode could include broadening the dataset to include related information in the public domain, and identifying ICAP/IARD interactions with the NIAAA, other publicly funded bodies, and relationship building with researchers. Alcohol companies were key actors in the MACH trial, and we know little about their involvement in science more generally.…”

“…Alcohol companies were key actors in the MACH trial, and we know little about their involvement in science more generally. 21 Further study is needed of how relationships between alcohol industry actors, researchers, research funding and other publicly funded bodies develop over time, and the governance issues raised to protect such bodies from inappropriate corporate influence. The consistency between alcohol industry involvement in this case and broader evidence on corporate activities to bias research agendas and distort the evidence-base necessary for effective public policy 7,10 shows that this work is urgently required to protect scientific integrity.…”

An overview of the commercial determinants of health

“…These documents have revealed the many ways through which that industry tried to avoid, weaken and delay the development of tobacco control policies [49,50,54,55]. There is growing evidence that other companies in the food [29,30,56,57], alcohol [58][59][60], gambling [61][62][63], automobile, and chemicals industries [19,31,64], for example, use similar political practices. In public health, these political practices are usually classified into two categories [49]:…”

Public health policies and alcohol-related liver disease

“…89 A recent meta-analysis assessing the role of the alcohol industry in science concluded that there are serious concerns in at least 3 areas: on evidence-informed policy making, on the processes of undertaking research and on the content of the scientific evidence base itself. 90 One of the most striking examples is a $100 million, 9nation clinical trial, which was mostly funded by major producers to evaluate the health benefits of a single dose of alcohol given daily to individuals at risk of coronary heart disease. This study was terminated early by government agencies in the US.…”