Since the 1970s Nestlé has repeatedly found itself at odds with public health advocates around the globe over it’s marketing of breast milk substitutes. Now more than 30 years on, we find that the tug-of-war with Nestlé is still ongoing.  At one end of the rope is the world’s largest food company and No. 1 baby food producer, and at the other end is the promotion of commonsense public health that could save the lives of 1.4 million children per year[i]. Read more…

Common sense looses again. Multinational corporate manufacturers including Coca-Cola, Nestle and Kelloggs’s oppose a colour labelling scheme, in favour of their favoured percentage-based Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA). Last Wednesday, they stood triumphant as the European Parliament announced its rejection of an enforcement of the tri-colour traffic-light labelling system supported by much of the scientific community, including The British Medical Council and British Heart Foundation. The GDA lobby claims that this type of labelling over-simplifies the relevant dietary information about a product and misleads consumers. Some have even claimed it could lead to chronic nutritional deficiencies if an all green-light diet was maintained. This decision, and its proponents, seem short-sighted and naive – simplification is exactly what is needed.

Picture yourself in the aisles. Long day at work or perhaps a pair of screaming kids. Quick decisions to be made. You don’t have a biology degree but you vaguely know that too much fat isn’t great, nor is sugar, or salt – however, the amount your body of each requires every day escapes you (like the rest of us). So while yes, a set of percentages and grams per packet of any given thing might be analytically more informative, it is totally useless if you cannot be bothered (or do not know how) to read, digest and evaluate every product you drop into your cart. In fact, I would guess that the lobby were counting on it. The tri-colour system gives a obvious, easily-understandable and quick overview of the rough healthiness of the product. The system doesn’t assume that you will only eat green foods (low sugar, salt and fat containing foods), but only that on average you will avoid a high proportion of red products. It rids of a small-print table of scary looking numbers which most people avoid just because they don’t have time (or don’t want!) to look at it. But you can’t help but look at those distinctive angry red labels on that tub of Ben & Jerry’s, or deep-fried pizza, or marshmellow cereal. That’s what they’re scared of. People being told something is bad for them and not simply counting on someone making the strenuous decision for themselves – because they know, as we all do: people would rather not know, thank you very much.

Tired, bored and motivated by simple-pleasures, without something to stimulate the desire for healthiness the desire to educate the populous about what is good for them and a push to reduce obesity will fail. Simplicity, as Da Vinci said, is the ultimate sophistication. So please, European Parliament, enlighten our food decisions.

Andrew Gardner

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/laid-bare-the-lobbying-campaign-that-won-the-food-labelling-battle-2003686.html

One of the world’s largest tobacco companies, Philip Morris International (PMI), has filed a claim against Uruguay, challenging its recent tobacco restrictions. Uruguay wishes to restrict misleading marketing descriptors such as “light” and “mild”, as well as further branding techniques used to convey such descriptions. PMI complains that these measures are excessive and far-reaching. Company spokesperson, Morgan Rees said:

“It is without precedent anywhere in the world and arbitrarily limits each brand family to a single variant.  As a result, we had to withdraw from the market 7 of 12 brand variants we sold there. In the case of Marlboro, this means that we now only sell Marlboro Red in Uruguay and have had to withdraw Marlboro Gold, Blue and Green.”

Read more…

A broad coalition has formed in support of a financial transactions tax (see previous EG4H blog). Following the English legend, they are styling the tax as a ‘Robin Hood tax’ – robbing the rich to give to the poor. The campaign is centred on a video with Bill Nighy directed by Richard Curtis and is sure to reach a broad audience and get huge profile for the cause.

The campaign is a clear signal that a financial transactions tax or ‘tobin tax’ is now firmly on the political agenda. Until recently it was no more than a dream in the eyes of a few. Overnight, it is being discussed openly in the media, seeing the support of Europe’s leaders (Brown, Sarkozy, Merkel) as well intellectual heavyweights like Nobel Laureate Prof. Joseph Stiglitz and 350 other leading economists. There is reason for genuine optimism amongst activists that a progressive tax such as this could be implemented.

There are still major obstacles, not least the continuing opposition of the US Government, but many are confident of an agreement in the future. Popular support and pressure will certainly increase those changes and we encourage you to sign the online petition at robinhoodtax.org. UK-based supporters can sign the Avaaz petition. UK-based medical advocates can email their MP with just 2-clicks via Health Unlimited. Those of you with a Facebook account can join the 100 000+ Facebook fans.

Below Rick Rowden introduces his new book.  In the following months Rick will respond to any comments or posts and discuss the reaction to the book and the outlook for activism.

“The Deadly Ideas of Neoliberalism” explores the history of and current collision between two of the major global phenomena that have characterized the last 30 years: the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases of poverty and the ascendancy of neoliberal economic ideas. The book explains not only how IMF policies of restrictive spending have exacerbated public health problems in developing countries, in particular the HIV/AIDS crisis, but also how such issues cannot be resolved under these economic policies. It also suggests how mounting global frustration about this inability to adequately address HIV/AIDS will ultimately lead to challenges to the dominant neoliberal ideas, as other more effective economic ideas for increasing public spending are sought.

In stark, powerful terms, this book offers a unique and in-depth critique of development economics, the political economy dynamics of global foreign aid and health institutions, and how these seemingly abstract factors play out in the real world – from the highest levels of global institutions to African finance and health ministries to rural health outposts in the countryside of developing nations, and back again.

Read more…

The idea of a Tobin tax is suddenly popular amongst many who have long opposed it. This interest from the magicians running the global economy could act to prevent discussion on other much needed reform.

Many people have called for a Tobin tax for years. It is seen as a neat way to raise billions of dollars for social causes and help control the instability and greed lurking in the global economy. A Tobin tax was originally conceived as a tax on the buying and selling of currencies, with the intention of reducing speculation and bringing stability to the world economy. The idea has now been revived in the form of a finance transaction tax (more than just currency exchanges as suggested by Mr Tobin). This latest incarnation intended to put a stop to a reckless banking system.

Read more…

by Taavi Tillmann

The EG4Health campaign has seen many developments with UK medicalstudents over the past months, which I want to share in this blog entry.

Read more…

In this newsletter from EG4H…

• Tobin or not Tobin? That is the question… – Find out why the Tobin Tax has resurfaced as a way to respond to the crisis in funding for the health MDGs
• $10 billion financing gap to scale up the health MDGs – read about the data behind the numbers
• The IMF needs more than guidance and support: it is time for a complete overhaul – Why EG4H is against a Global Economic Council for the IMF
• Just Out! Links to the latest writing and events on economic governance for health Read more…

In this newsletter from EG4H…

Why the IMF and Fiscal Policy is so central to the Health MDGs: A report on why, more than ever, the International Monetary Fund’s macro-economic and fiscal policy are issues that the public health community must understand and engage with.

‘As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame…’: Learn how our global health institutions are beginning to burn as the economic crisis bites.

High Level Taskforce keeps their data under wraps – Find out why the High Level Taskforce won’t publish its data on financing gaps.

Just Out! Links to the latest writing and events on economic governance for health

Are you interested in helping us get the word out about the importance of economic governance for health? Read more…

In this newsletter from EG4H…

•    Equitable and sustainable economic governance: for health, for all: EG4H is seeking partners for a consensus statement on global economic governance and its impact on health.
•    A Private Equity Fund for African health systems: The Gates Foundation and the dangers of their support for private sector involvement in healthcare
•    Can the ‘Taskforce’ pull the MDG rabbit out of the hat?: A high level taskforce reports on financing for health and the likelihood of meeting the MDGs
•    Just Out! Links to the latest writing and events on economic governance for health

Are you interested in helping us get the word out about the importance of economic governance for health? Read more…