Open letter
Response from Dr Sania NishtarResponse from Dr David Nabarro
Open letter to WHO DG candidates: keep policy and priority setting free of commercial influence
Katherine Brown
Email the author Katherine Brown
on behalf of 61 signatories; a full list of signatories is available in the appendix Published: 27 April 2017Email the author Katherine Brown
In May, 2017, WHO Member States will meet in Geneva for the 70th World Health Assembly (WHA) and a new WHO Director-General (DG) will be elected. As public-interest non-government organisations (NGOs) involved in global health governance and the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, we believe that a fundamental consideration for Member States when electing the DG will be how the new leadership will ensure appropriate interactions with alcohol, food, pharmaceutical, and medical technology industries. We invite the three candidates to describe what steps they commit to take to ensure greater transparency, rigor, and public scrutiny of WHO's policy and regulatory and norm-setting activities so that they are adequately protected from undue commercial interests.
In May, 2016, WHA adopted the Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA), a policy due to be fully operational by May, 2018. While FENSA envisages that WHO will “exercise particular caution…when engaging with private sector entities …whose policies or activities are negatively affecting human health..”,1 the rhetoric and direction of WHO's reform process as well as WHO's chronic funding challenges have left us deeply concerned rather than reassured. We fear that instead of protecting WHO's mandate, FENSA risks relegating WHO to a limited role, unable to stand up for human rights and democratic decision making.
We draw attention to the conflict of interest statement signed by more than 175 NGOs and networks representing more than 2000 groups and first launched at the UN High-Level Meeting on Non-communicable Diseases in 2011: “The policy development stage should be free from industry involvement to ensure a ‘health in all policies’ approach, which is not compromised by the obvious conflicts of interests associated with food, alcohol, beverage and other industries, that are primarily answerable to shareholders.”2
Alcohol, food, pharmaceutical, and medical technology industries should comply with policies developed by WHO and its Member States. Their role is not in public health policy formulation, risk assessments, risk management, or priority setting, nor in determining normative quality standards and legally binding regulations to protect and promote public health. These processes must be undertaken in an environment free of commercial influence.
We believe that only a WHO that protects its independence and integrity of decision making will have the ability to fulfil its constitutional mandate, and look forward to your response to our request.
PR holds shares in Nestlé SA, for the purpose of attending the Annual General Meeting. All other authors declare no competing interests.
References
- Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly. (Agenda item 11.3) (accessed April 21, 2017)Framework of engagement with non-state actors. ; May 28, 2016
- Conflict of Interest Coalition. (accessed April 21, 2017)Statement of concern. ; 2011
View in Article
Signatories to 'Ensuring integrity, independence and credibility: Open letter to the candidates for WHO DG'
NAME ORGANISATION
Institute of Alcohol Studies, BROWN, Katherine
World Obesity Federation, LOBSTEIN, Tim
International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), RUNDALL, Patti
UK Health Forum, MWATSAMA, Modi
Center for Health Science and Law, JEFFRY, Bill
The Alliance for Nutritional Health (Alianza por la Salud Alimentaria) MACARI, Marisa
World Cancer Research Fund International, ALLEN, Kate
Global Alcohol Policy Alliance, BAKKE, Oystein
International Blue Cross, BABB, Anne
Alliance Against Conflict of Interest (AACI), GUPTA, Arun
OXFAM, KAMAL-YANNI, Mohga
International Association for Social Pediatrics and Child Health (ISSOP), SPENCER, Nick
International Committee of Drug Bulletins (ISDB), BIJL, Dick
International Lactation Consultant Association, PARKER, Meredith
IOGT International, SPERKOVA, Kristina
Medicus Mundi International. Network Health for All, SCWARTZ, Thomas
Wemos, MEURS, Mariska
Bread for the World – Protestant Development Service, HASSE, Mareike
Public Eye (formerly known as Berne Declaration), DURISCH, Patrick
El Poder del Consumidor, MACARI, Marisa
Ntakuka East African Alcohol Policy Alliance, MELAU, William
European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare), SKAR, Mariann
European Centre for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing (EUCAM), VAN DALEN, Wim
European Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Alliance, BLACK, Diane
European Mutual help Network for Alcohol related problems (EMNA), PALMESINO, Ennio
European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS), WEBER-SCHOENDORFER, Corinna
European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), RENSHAW, Nina
Alcohol Policy Youth Network, GALKUS, Lukas
AlcoHelp, MARTIN, Teryy
Alcohol Action Ireland, COSTELLO, Suzanne
Alcohol Focus Scotland, DOUGLAS, Alison
Alcohol Forum Ireland, DOHERTY Kieran
Alcohol Health Alliance, GILMORE, Ian
Alcohol Justice, LIVINGSTON, Bruce Lee
Association of Directors of Public Health, FURBER, Andrew
British Association for the Study of the Liver, ALEXANDER, Graeme
British Liver Trust, LANGFORD, Andrew
British Society of Gastroenterology, MORIARTY, Kieran
British Medical Association
BUKO Pharma-Kampagne, SCHAABER, Jorg
Crime and Security Research Institute, Cardiff University, SHEPARD, Jonathan
Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy STAP, VAN DALEN, Wim
FASD Fachzentrum Berlin, BECKER, Gisela
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Foundation of the Netherlands, BLACK, Diane
Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, SOMER, Sari
Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education (FARE), THORN, Michael
Forum Savonese del Terzo Settore, PESCE, Davide
First Steps Nutrition Trust, CRAWLEY, Helen
Innovation in Practice (HIP), DENTICO, Nicoletta Health
Institute for Social Marketing, University of Stirling, BAULD, Linda
IOGT NTO, DRAMSTAD, Kalle
Lithuanian Tobacco and Alcohol Control Coalition, MIDTTUN, Nijole
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, GALLOWAY, David
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, MURRAY, Frank
SAF Group, IZUEL, Itziar
School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa,
SCHNEIDER, Helene
Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP)CARLIN, Eric,
UK & European Birth Mother Network - FASD
UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies (UKCTAS) BAULD, Linda
UK Faculty of Public Health, CAPEWELL, Simon,
Violence Prevention Group, Cardiff Partnership, SHEPARD, Jonathan
Vivre avec le SAF, METELSKI, Catherine,
Royal College of General Practitioners
