{"id":100045,"date":"2017-08-17T18:47:37","date_gmt":"2017-08-17T16:47:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/the-seven-tactics-unhealthy-industries-use-to-undermine-public-health-policies-the-conversation\/"},"modified":"2017-08-17T18:47:37","modified_gmt":"2017-08-17T16:47:37","slug":"the-seven-tactics-unhealthy-industries-use-to-undermine-public-health-policies-the-conversation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/the-seven-tactics-unhealthy-industries-use-to-undermine-public-health-policies-the-conversation\/","title":{"rendered":"The seven tactics unhealthy industries use to undermine public health policies | The Conversation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/theconversation.com\/the-seven-tactics-unhealthy-industries-use-to-undermine-public-health-policies-81137\">The seven tactics unhealthy industries use to undermine public health policies<\/a>: <\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.theconversation.com\/files\/182196\/width496\/file-20170816-11027-84ex13.jpg\" \/><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">African governments efforts to improve health are being undermined by corporations luring clientele. <\/span> <span class=\"attribution\"><span class=\"source\">Reuters\/Baz Ratner<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Across Africa there are examples of governments trying to introduce policies that improve health, and protect the environment only to find their efforts undermined by unhealthy corporations, and their industry associations. A case in point is South Africa\u2019s efforts to introduce a tax on sugary drinks to reduce the growing burden of obesity. In the process they are facing a barrage of resistance. This is one small example of unhealthy industries undermining the public\u2019s health and the global environment. <\/p>\n<p>If you are working to improve public health and the environment in Africa, you need to know what your opponents are up to. <\/p>\n<p>Below is a quick guide to their tactics, which I have assembled as a summary from three sources: Naomi Oreskes and Eric M Conway, Merchants of Doubt, William Wiist\u2019s The Corporate Playbook, Health, and Democracy: The Snack Food and Beverage Industry\u2019s Tactics in Context, and Nicholas Freudenberg\u2019s Lethal but Legal.<\/p>\n<h2>1. Attack legitimate science<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Accuse science of deception, calling it \u201cjunk science\u201d or \u201cbad science,\u201d claiming science is manipulated to fulfil a political agenda.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Attack the scientific institutions and government agencies perceived to be acting against corporate interests.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Insist that the science is uncertain by claiming scientists don\u2019t know what\u2019s causing it, and that more research is needed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Withholding any data unfavourable to the corporate product.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Using information in a misleading way; cherry-picking by using facts that are true but irrelevant.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Insist that there are many causes to a health or environmental problem, and that addressing just one of them will have minimal impact.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Exaggerate the uncertainty inherent in any scientific endeavour to undermine the status of established scientific knowledge.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Use corporate-funded studies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Fund researchers sympathetic to corporate causes or products.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>2. Attack and intimidate scientists<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Create doubt by attacking the authenticity and integrity of the author.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Attack the credibility of the messenger and allege ulterior motives.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Have \u201cattack dogs\u201d intimidate opponents.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Smear the enemy \u2013 for example, by calling environmentalists \u201cwatermelons\u201d (green on the outside and red on the inside), use hatred and fear of communism to transfer animosity to the environmental movement.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Threaten to sue -\u2014 or actually sue -\u2014 scientists and advocates but avoid or delay hearings of the facts.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Make accusations using the rhetoric of political suppression.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Infiltrate scientific groups and monitor prominent scientists.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Create enough doubt to forestall litigation and regulation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Constantly repeat the doubt, using surrogates or \u201cmessage force multipliers\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Use pejorative terms repeatedly such as \u201cexcessive\u201d regulation, \u201cover\u201d regulation, \u201cunnecessary\u201d regulation, \u201cnanny state,\u201d and \u201chealth Nazis\u201d to promote fear and disdain.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Always demand more proof.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Alternatively, aim for self-regulation instead of regulation; introduce corporate voluntary codes to forestall government regulation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>3. Create arms length front organisations<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Create front groups.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Run projects through front groups (\u201cinformation laundering\u201d) \u2013 especially law firms, because they can avoid scrutiny due to attorney \u2013 client privilege.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Create research institutes that can create their own scientific studies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Sponsor conferences and workshops. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Create \u201cindependent\u201d newsletters, magazines, and journals (not subject to peer review).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Publish findings selectively.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Manipulate research funding, design, and authorship.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Distribute materials\u2014 targeted pamphlets and booklets, social media.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Use public opinion polling.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>4. Manufacture false debate and insist on balance<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Create the impression of a controversy.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Maintain the controversy, keep the debate alive.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Create false dichotomies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Insist that responsible journalists cover both sides of the argument equally.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Demand balance, relying on the Fairness Doctrine.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Divert attention from harmful products.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Focus on corporate social responsibility.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Set up corporate social responsibility foundations; find small-scale, apparently well-meaning community activities.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Focus on other issues as the problem, like physical activity instead of diet, for example.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>5. Frame issues in highly creative ways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Insist that the problem is very complex, thus implying it can\u2019t have a simple solution, if any.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Insist it is premature to suggest remedies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Constantly repeat that technological advances will obviate the need for regulations and that the problem can be solved only through the marketplace.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Insist on personal or parental responsibility and insist that government should have no role in influencing individual health behaviour.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Use colourful imagery such as \u201ca billion dollar solution to a million dollar problem\u201d); use words like \u201cspeculative,\u201d \u201coversimplified,\u201d \u201cpremature,\u201d and \u201cunbalanced\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Use the creation of fear as a tool for change of policy.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Diminish the severity of the problem while giving some ground.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Admit that it is a serious problem, but not a life-threatening one.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Admit that there may be a problem, but it is less severe than everyone says.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Argue that the problem is less severe than other problems -\u2014 those should be the priority.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Argue that the cost to fix the problem is too high.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Argue that the benefits of the problem haven\u2019t been considered.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Argue that other options haven\u2019t been considered.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Understand and use the power of language \u2013 the other side\u2019s language is filled with uncertainties, so make sure yours is certain.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>6. Fund industry disinformation campaigns<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Run industry disinformation campaigns using new and creative forms.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Pay and co-opt celebrities and sympathetic expert witnesses.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Sponsor conferences to challenge scientific consensus.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Align with other issues \u2013 employment discrimination, antitax groups.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>7. Influence the political agenda<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Donate to political parties across the political spectrum.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Get representatives from unhealthy industries around the policy table, for guideline development or standard setting.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Invest heavily in paid lobbyists.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Get \u201cfriends\u201d in important and influential government roles \u2014- for example, by targeted hiring of politicians, their advisers, or senior administration officials once they leave office.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Aim to reduce government budgets for regulatory or scientific, or policy activities against corporate interests.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>_This is an edited version of an article that appeared in a publication of the American Journal of Public Health.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.edu.au\/content\/81137\/count.gif\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"fine-print\"><em><span>Rob Moodie has received funding from the Australian Department of Health, and chaired the National Preventative Health Taskforce from 2008-2011. He chairs the GAVI Alliance Evaluation Advisory Committee and he receives sitting fees. He has worked with WHO as an adviser over many years. He is currently on the WHO expert panel on Health Promotion<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><small><strong>Source:<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/theconversation.com\/the-seven-tactics-unhealthy-industries-use-to-undermine-public-health-policies-81137\">The Conversation \u2013 Articles (AFRICA)<\/a><\/small><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Read more on <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Join the fun:<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/add-your-event\/\">Add Your event<\/a> | <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.mypr.co.za\/submit\">Submit a Press Release<\/a> | <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/directory\/\">Add your listing<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The seven tactics unhealthy industries use to undermine public health policies: African governments efforts to improve health are being undermined by corporations luring clientele. Reuters\/Baz Ratner Across Africa there are examples of governments trying to introduce policies that improve health, and protect the environment only to find their efforts undermined by unhealthy corporations, and their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4584],"tags":[8890,140,3650,4215,2713,3071,9573,7823,11830],"class_list":{"0":"post-100045","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-africa-news-2","7":"tag-conversation","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-industries","10":"tag-policies","11":"tag-public","12":"tag-seven","13":"tag-tactics","14":"tag-undermine","15":"tag-unhealthy","16":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100045"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100045\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}