Australia’s alcohol industry continues to “manipulate, misuse and ignore evidence in attempts to influence policy,” a study which analyzed submissions to the development of the national alcohol strategy has concluded.
In light of the study, doctors and health experts say the strategy excludes some of the most effective measures for reducing alcohol-related harm, and have blamed the effect of lobbying that exaggerated the benefits of drinking and misrepresented evidence.
Published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review, the study found alcohol industry submissions to the strategy consultation process did use peer-reviewed research, but it was often presented in a one-sided way, selectively quoted or misrepresented.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“Overall, our study demonstrates that the alcohol industry continue to manipulate, misuse and ignore evidence in attempts to influence policy,” the study found.
The researchers examined all 96 submissions made to the government’s consultation process that informed the 2019-2028 national plan to tackle harm from alcohol.
There were 12 submissions from the alcohol industry, including producers, retailers, peak bodies and industry-funded organizations.
Despite strong evidence showing otherwise, three of the industry submissions said that drinking alcohol in moderation had health benefits, three said that alcohol was not a causal factor for violence, and eight argued against a minimum unit price on alcohol and against stricter pricing and taxation policies.
Research has shown even low levels of alcohol consumption can complicate a number of conditions including hypertension, atrial fibrillation (an irregular, rapid heart rate that commonly causes poor blood flow) and stroke caused by bleeding.
One alcohol industry submission claimed that a multicountry study showed that “the net effect of alcohol consumption was to reduce adverse health outcomes,” but the study actually concluded that drinking was “not associated with a net health benefit.”
There is also strong evidence of a causal relationship between drinking and violence.
None of the bodies contacted responded to a request for comment on the study’s findings.
Mia Miller, a public health researcher at the Menzies School of Health Research at Charles Darwin University and the lead author of the study, said that the strategy did not go far enough to regulate alcohol advertising.
“Our current system allows the alcohol industry to set its own rules, but evidence clearly shows that industry-self regulation does not work,” Miller said.
“The government should also review current lobbying and political donation rules that allow alcohol companies to donate large amounts of money to political parties,” she said. “Unfortunately, the national alcohol strategy was watered down in its wording relating to alcohol advertising, and there is no discussion of political donations.”
On Wednesday last week, independent lawmaker Sophie Scamps, a general practitioner (GP), and seven other crossbenchers called on the government to more strongly regulate the marketing of harmful products, including alcohol.
Scamps described claims that the alcohol industry had undermined the national alcohol strategy as “concerning.”
“The current government should investigate these claims and if they are correct, should revisit the national alcohol strategy,” Scamps said.
“Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows alcohol-induced deaths are increasing, and as a GP, I know first-hand the harm alcohol can cause. When developing public health policy, it’s crucial government listens to health experts, and not industry,” she said.
A report published in 2019 by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education analyzed how industry influence led to revisions of the national alcohol strategy.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Nicole Higgins described the alcohol industry submissions to the strategy as “appalling.”
“I’m concerned that big alcohol is still subtly getting its way,” she said.
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