In my new report, I expose the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), the nation’s leading authority of nutrition scientists and researchers, for its cozy relationships with the likes of PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Nestle, McDonalds, Monsanto, Mars, and even the Sugar Association. Such conflicts of interest are similar to those exposed in my previous report about the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Powerful junk food companies purchase “sustaining partnerships” from the American Society for Nutrition, gaining access to the nation’s leading nutrition researchers at their annual meetings, and in their policy positions. ASN’s “Sustaining Member Roundtable Committee” includes PepsiCo’s Chief Scientific Officer and the Chief Science Officer at National Dairy Council.
Democracy Now! reports that WikiLeaks has published another section of the secret text of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement — this one about public healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry. The draft shows that the TPP would give major pharmaceutical companies more power over public access to medicine and weaken public healthcare programs.
A new report in Pediatricsfound that the distribution of infant formula discharge packs to breastfeeding mothers declined markedly from 2007 to 2013. The percentage of hospitals distributing infant formula discharge packs to breastfeeding mothers was 72.6% in 2007 and 31.6% in 2013, a decrease of 41 percentage points.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has released a new fact sheet summarizing public comments on the FDA proposal to include a line for added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label on food packaging.
A new film, The Yes Men are Revolting, shows activists using humor and spoof to fight corporate greed in villages in Uganda, toxic oil fields in Canada, and elsewhere by taking on big oil, lobbyists, and the U.S. government.
Ingredients created by food companies flavor what Americans eat each day — everything from juice drinks and potato chips to ice cream and canned soups. They give Cheetos their addictive cheesy taste and help distinguish Jolly Ranchers from other fruit-flavored candies.
But the organization responsible for the safety of most “natural” and “artificial” flavors that end up in foods and beverages isn’t part of the U.S. government. Rather, the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association — a secretive food industry trade group that has no in-house employees, no office of its own and a minuscule budget — serves as the de-facto regulator of the nation’s flavor additives.
Here are some of the headlines from the past few weeks: 34 million cars outfitted with dangerously defective airbags have been recalled; passenger trains and oil trains have derailed, putting commuters and communities at risk; nail salon workers are being exposed to dangerous conditions and abusive employers. What these stories have in common is a regulatory process that is too slow and too captured by industry to protect Americans. Instead of attacking regulations, Congress should be empaneling committees to investigate why regulations are so slow to be issued and so poorly enforced.
But now a group of U.S. senators led by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) is calling for a new, permanent, bicameral committee to review and recommend eliminating federal safeguards. The proposed committee could Continue reading Congress Forms Anti-Regulatory Committee Instead of Protecting Americans
A new study by the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy showed that pharmaceutical spending in the U.S. per capita reached $1,010 in 2012, almost double the per capita cost of Germany, the next highest spender. The Hill reports that price hikes have led the U.S. insurance industry to pick a fight with pharmaceutical companies over the rising cost of specialty drugs.
Eliminating the illicit trade in tobacco would generate an annual tax windfall of US$ 31 billion for governments, improve public health, help cut crime and curb an important revenue source for the tobacco industry. Those are the key themes of World No Tobacco Day when WHO urged Member States to sign the “Protocol to Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products”.
BBC reports that Japanese airbag maker Takata recalled almost 34 million cars with defective airbags, the largest recall in US automotive history, affecting models from 11 carmakers. The number is double previous estimates for faulty air bags from the manufacturer. US regulators said Takata has still not found the cause of the defects.
Corporations and Health Watch 