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Comments on UN Political Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases
26 August, 2011 - 14:57 — Patti
IBFAN Comments on UN Political Declaration on Non-communicable Diseases
NB: The list of NGOs that are being invited to attend the summit has now been published. http://info.babymilkaction.org/sites/info.babymilkaction.org/files/CS list.pdf
Briefing on Para 56 of Political Declaration (5th August version)
The United Nations will hold its first ever high level summit on non-communicable diseases in New York on September 19th and 20th. I attended the Interactive Session in New York in June and the Health Forum in Moscow in April, and the World Health Assembly in May, which let up to this. Member states have been working on a Political Declaration - which will form the basis of an action plan to tackle the epidemic heart disease, diabetes, lung disease and cancer - and obesity - diseases that are often corporate-driven by the promotion of unhealthy foods, tobacco and alcohol.
Getting the wording right will be crucial. The negotiations ended on the 5th August for the summer break and will resume on 1st September. The draft dated 29.7.11 contained a very worrying paragraph (Para 56bis) which had clearly been influenced by the food, tobacco, pharmaceutical and drink industries who have been trying to persuade Member States that the best way forward is an incentive-driven, partnership approach that relies on voluntary pledges rather than on regulation of marketing practices - which evidence shows would have a far greater impact
STOP PRESS In the very latest version the document it seems that 56bis has been improved somewhat.
In the run up to the Summit please contact your government (usually the Department of Health) - to ask that conflicts of interest are addressed very clearly. Some suggestions are below.
Conflicts of Interest (COI) Coalition Recommended Language for Paragraph 56
56. Request the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the Director-General of the WHO, to carry out an expert consultation with Member States, other UN agencies, civil society organisations, foundations, research and academic institutions and other relevant stakeholders to produce, by the end of 2012, a Code of Conduct and Ethical Framework to help protect the integrity of, and to ensure transparency in, public policy decision-making, by guiding interactions with the private sector and safeguarding against, and identifying and managing conflicts of interest; and by ensuring equitable participation of public interest groups in policy development, which sets out options for effective multi-sectoral action for the prevention and control of NCDs, for consideration by Member States.
The Conflicts of Interest Coalition comprises civil society organisations united by the common objective of securing a strong NCD Political Declaration that explicitly recognises, and clearly commits to, safeguarding public health policy-making against commercial conflicts of interest through the development of a Code of Conduct and Ethical Framework for interactions with the private sector.
Useul articles:
Public health sector and food industry interaction: it’s time to clarify the term ‘partnership’ and be honest about underlying interests European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 21, No. 4, 400–403 ß The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.
World Health Organization“Irrelevant” WHO outpaced by younger rivals
Nigel Hawkes http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d5012
BMJ 2011; 343:d5012 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d5012 ( 9 August 2011)
Turning the tide on conflicts of interest,
Fiona Godlee, editor, BMJ
BMJ 2011; 343:d5147 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d5147 (10 August 2011)
Will industry influence derail UN summit? http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d5328
BMJ 2011; 343:d5328 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d5328 (Published 23 August 2011)
Commentary: UN high level meeting on non-communicable diseases: an opportunity for whom?
David Stuckler, Sanjay Basu, Martin McKee
BMJ 2011;343:doi:10.1136/bmj.d5336 (Published 23 August 2011)
The global obesity pandemic: shaped by global drivers and local environments
The Lancet, Volume 378, Issue 9793, Pages 804 - 814, 27 August 2011 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60813-1Cite or Link Using DOI
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2960813-1/abstract
For other useful studies on voluntary codes see: http://info.babymilkaction.org/node/466)
1 Either DELETE 56 bis and expand Para 56 to ensure a proper strategy for taking this issue forward. Alternatively amend it as follows:
[56 bis Request the Secretary General to establish, no later than 2012, in close consultation and collaboration with Member States, a Non-Communicable Prevention and Control Diseases Initiative [Partnership], led by the WHO and guided by [the development of] a WHO Ethical Framework to be developed to ensure transparency, protect integrity of public-policy decision-making and manage Conflicts of Interest and by relevant WHA resolutions and decisions. The initiative [, which] would consist of Member States, other relevant UN agencies, civil society organizations, foundations and research and academic institutions, to develop policy objectives and strategy for the prevention and control of NCDs, to GUIDE funds and programmes, international financial institutions and the private sector in the implementation of actions and to assess progress achieved.
OR
[56 bis Request the Secretary General to develop, no later than 2012, an Ethical Framework for Managing Conflict of Interest which would ensure transparency, protect the integrity of public-policy decision-making and guide the establishment of an initiative on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, to be led by WHO, Member States and other relevant UN agencies, in close consultation and collaboration with civil society organizations, foundations and research and academic institutions, in order to develop policy objectives and strategies for the prevention and control of NCDs, to monitor progress and to report back to the UN.
56 Request the Secretary-General in close collaboration with WHO to submit a report in 2014, and thereafter biennially to the General Assembly on progress achieved in realizing the commitments made in this Political Declaration.
IN ADDITION the Declaration still needs a reference calling on Codex Alimentarius to support rather than undermine the Global Diet Strategy.
and on the para on breastfeeding (if that is still in discussion) we suggest
[j alt. Promote, protect and support breastfeeding AND OPTIMAL YOUNG CHILD FEEDING through the implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent relevant WHA Resolutions, TO promote NORMAL infant and young children's growth and development including exclusive breastfeeding FOR SIX MONTHS , as NOT breastfeeding INCREASES susceptibility to infections and under and over nutrition, and may CONTRIBUTE TO the risk of [developing chronic conditions later in life, including obesity and NCDs.
WHA 57.17 2004 Par 2.6"to cooperate with civil society and with public and private stakeholders committed to reducing the risks of noncommunicable diseases in implementing the Strategy and promoting healthy diet and physical activity, while ensuring avoidance of potential conflicts of interest;"
alternatively:
Other points that may already be addressed:
2 In Para 43 Ensure that there is a reference in the footnote or text to the WHA Resolution 63.14 and the WHO Recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to Children keeping the EU's recommendation to . "Ensure the implementation of a set of recommendations to reduce the impact of marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children, while ensuring avoidance of potential conflicts of interest." Making sure to keep the text about conflicts of interest.
NB: Delete the last bit of text proposed by NZ in Para 40 qualt alt: "working in partnerships with food producers and manufacturers."
Ensure that text does not simply “Ensure responsible and accountable marketing" This contradicts the WHO Recommendations which is to REDUCE exposure to marketing - rather than INCREASE it. The food industry considers all its marketing to be responsible. (see also Tackling Obesity - how companies use education to build Trust http://info.babymilkaction.org/node/412 )
3 Add a footnote reference to the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and Subsequent relevant WHA Resolutions to Norway's two recommendations on breastfeeding ( Pages 16 and 18 )
3 Add a reference calling on Codex Alimentarius to support rather than undermine the Global Diet Strategy.
For a key example of how infant overweight is encouraged by trade rules see the Codex 2006 Nutrition meeting. Thailand - supported by Norway - tried to get the permitted sugar levels in the baby food Standard lowered from 30% to 10% but was blocked by the EU and US. Until this is fixed it will be really difficult for countries to stop the import of high sugar baby foods. http://www.ibfan.org/news-2006-eu_us.html
Here are some links to useful resources:
Paper on partnerships Public health sector and food industry interaction: it’s time to clarify the term ‘partnership’ and be honest about underlying interests European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 21, No. 4, 400–403 ß The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.
Useful papers describing how voluntary codes fail to reduce harmful advertising here: http://info.babymilkaction.org/node/466
WHA 57.17 2004 Par 2.6 "to cooperate with civil society and with public and private stakeholders committed to re- ducing the risks of noncommunicable diseases in implementing the Strategy and promoting healthy diet and physical activity, while ensuring avoidance of potential conflicts of interest;"
http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/strategy/eb11344/strategy_english_web.pdf
IBFAN recommendations prior to New York
WHO set of recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children (WHA63.14). http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241500210_eng.pdf
Resolutions on Diet, Physical Activity and Health that mention conflicts of interest:
Set of Recommendations on the Marketing of Food and non-alcoholic Beverages to Children
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241500210_eng.pdf
Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and health 2008-2013 Action Plan
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241597418_eng.pdf
Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and health
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| IBFAN ON ZERO.doc.pdf | 457.31 KB |
| IBFAN UN comment sent.doc | 28.5 KB |
| IBFAN ON ZERO.doc.pdf | 457.31 KB |
| hawkes Buse partnerships EJPH.pdf | 47.97 KB |
| CS list.pdf | 96.35 KB |
| Briefing on Para 56.doc | 38 KB |
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