Conflicts of interest must be tackled to protect public health
Learn about the urgent need to address conflicts of interest between health and harmful industries.
Government Must Address Conflict of Interest in Harmful Industries
Academics at the University of Bath have issued an urgent warning that if governments don’t swiftly handle conflicts of interest with harmful industries, efforts to defend public health and deter illness will be fruitless.
This warning, presented in the article published in Future Healthcare Journal’s June 2025 special issue, takes a particular interest in the tobacco industry.
These experts aren’t pulling any punches when they talk about industry tactics. They shine a light on how companies present themselves as responsible entities through partnerships and youth prevention programmes, while disrupting effective public health measures behind the scenes.
And who’s in the firing line for allowing this to happen? Policy-makers. Professor Anna Gilmore stresses that cleaning up health-damaging industries starts with excluding them from policy-making. Otherwise, public trust will languish and the NHS will remain overwhelmed by commercially-driven health harms.
Harmful Industries’ Tactics Under Scrutiny
The experts emphasise how industries with vested interests utilise partnerships, youth prevention programmes, sponsoring science, and voluntary regulatory schemes to portray themselves as responsible entities.
Simultaneously, these industries impede effective public health measures behind the scenes.
Industry Interference in Policy-Making Challenged
Professor Anna Gilmore of the University of Bath emphasises the importance of excluding health-damaging industries from policy-making.
Without taking this measure, she warns, public trust in institutions will remain low and the NHS will struggle to manage the magnitude of commercially-driven health harms.
Dr. Rachel Barry enhances this argument, stating the need to prevent detrimental industries from shaping science and policies meant for their regulation.
Lessons from the Tobacco Industry
Dr Alice Fabbri draws attention to the resurfacing of problematic scientific practices in the tobacco industry, which appear to be adopted across other sectors. These activities, Fabbri explains, pose a significant threat and immediate action is needed.
Comment by Allen Carr’s Easyway
At Allen Carr’s Easyway, we’re convinced. To attain any real progress in our society’s health, these harmful industries cannot continue to sway the direction of regulation.
The concern is that the tactics used by Big tobacco for smoking are now being used in other areas such as vaping and food increasing the obesity problem.
The wellbeing of the public simply has to come before corporate gain.
