Experts Urge Action to Address Conflicts of Interest to Safeguard Public Health

A prominent peer-reviewed publication by researchers at the University of Bath emphasizes the critical need for governments to actively confront conflicts of interest with industries that pose health risks, such as tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed foods, gambling, and fossil fuels. The authors warn that without immediate and substantial measures, global efforts to prevent disease and promote public health will face significant obstacles.

This article, featured in the Future Healthcare Journal and guest edited by Professor Chris van Tulleken, is authored by Professor Anna B. Gilmore, Dr. Rachel A. Barry, and Dr. Alice Fabbri, all affiliated with the University of Bath's Centre for 21st Century Public Health and Tobacco Control Research Group. Their research critically examines how industries with vested interests deploy strategies—like forming alliances, funding scientific research, supporting youth prevention programs, and promoting voluntary regulations—to portray themselves as responsible entities, all while obstructing effective public health strategies.

Professor Gilmore highlights the importance of excluding harmful industries from policy-making processes to prevent compromised health policies. She notes that public skepticism towards government institutions has grown due to perceived conflicts of interest, undermining trust. Addressing these conflicts is essential for restoring faith in public institutions and implementing meaningful health policies.

The researchers stress that if conflicts of interest are not managed, health systems like the NHS will struggle to cope with the extensive harms caused by these industries. Dr. Barry adds that prioritizing human and planetary health over profits requires halting the influence of harmful industries on science and policy. Dr. Fabbri warns that histories of the tobacco industry's manipulation of science are repeating as other sectors adopt similar tactics.

The article calls for universal safeguards and legal protections to prevent industries from shaping health policies detrimental to public well-being. It underscores that conflicts of interest are not isolated issues but stem from fundamental differences between industry profit motives and public health obligations. Recognizing and mitigating these conflicts is a vital step towards healthier societies and sustainable health systems.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-conflicts-tackled-health.html