Mechanisms for addressing and managing the influence of corporations on public health policy, research and practice: a scoping review

Abstract

ObjectiveWe identified mechanisms for addressing and/or managing the influence of corporations on public health policy, research and practice, as well as examples of where these mechanisms have been adopted from across the globe.DesignWe conducted a scoping review. We conducted searches in five databases on 4 June 2019. Twenty-eight relevant institutions and networks were contacted to identify additional mechanisms and examples. In addition, we identified mechanisms and examples from our collective experience working on the influence of corporations on public health policy, research and practice.SettingWe identified mechanisms at the national, regional and global levels.ResultsThirty-one documents were included in our review. Eight were peer-reviewed scientific articles. Nine discussed mechanisms to address and/or manage the influence of different types of industries; while other documents targeted specific industries. In total, we identified 49 mechanisms for addressing and/or managing the influence of corporations on public health policy, research and practice, and 43 of these were adopted at the national, regional or global level. We identified four main types of mechanisms: transparency; management of interactions with industry and of conflicts of interest; identification, monitoring and education about the practices of corporations and associated risks to public health; prohibition of interactions with industry. Mechanisms for governments (n=17) and academia (n=13) were most frequently identified, with fewer for the media and civil society.ConclusionsWe identified several mechanisms that could help address and/or manage the negative influence of corporations on public health policy, research and practice. If adopted and evaluated more widely, many of the mechanisms described in this manuscript could contribute to efforts to prevent and control non-communicable diseases.Trial registration detailsThe protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework on 27 May 2019 (https://osf.io/xc2vp).

Political economy of covid-19: extractive, regressive, competitive

“…37 The common thread in these problems is the need for governance reform. Helpfully, the mechanisms that could be used to regulate the practices of transnational corporations have been described 38 : these include reporting, reviewing, monitoring, and managing conflicts of interest; stopping the revolving door between transnational corporations and governments; protecting whistleblowers; and restricting and requiring full disclosure of lobbying activities. Similarly, the Transnational Institute has proposed binding treaties to regulate transnational corporations.…”

“The architecture of the state was transformed in favour of the interests of companies”: corporate political activity of the food industry in Colombia

“…This study also builds upon the growing literature of commercial determinants of health, which focuses on how corporations market and lobby for products that harmful to health [19,55]. By applying a CPA analysis in Colombia, this study further identifies and exposes the practices of corporations, which could help assist academics, advocates and government officials counter industry interference and help prepare, enact and implement evidence-based public health policies [56]. Given that commercial determinants views the industry as the vector of disease [55], future research should explore cross-industry and cross-policy comparisons to identify evolving patterns and trends in industry activity and policy interference.…”

“…Finally, there are solutions to address and prevent negative influence from the food industry on public health policy, research and practice in Colombia and abroad, as recently detailed in a scoping review [56]. We noted the existence and availability, online, of a register of lobbyists in the country, but it has not been updated since 2014.…”

Involvement of the food industry in nutrition conferences in Latin America and the Caribbean

“…It is also important to monitor and manage this involvement. Educating professionals about the risks associated with such involvement is also crucial (33) . Finally, it is perhaps necessary to address and prevent such involvement when the products or practices of commercial enterprises or trade associations are not aligned with public health goals.…”