Open letter
Response from Dr Sania Nishtar
Response from Dr David Nabarro
Open letter to WHO DG candidates: keep policy and priority setting free of commercial influence

on behalf of 61 signatories; a full list of signatories is available in the appendix Published: 27 April 2017
In May, 2017, WHO Member States will meet in Geneva for the 70th World Health Assembly (WHA) and a new WHO Director-General (DG) will be elected. As public-interest non-government organisations (NGOs) involved in global health governance and the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, we believe that a fundamental consideration for Member States when electing the DG will be how the new leadership will ensure appropriate interactions with alcohol, food, pharmaceutical, and medical technology industries. We invite the three candidates to describe what steps they commit to take to ensure greater transparency, rigor, and public scrutiny of WHO’s policy and regulatory and norm-setting activities so that they are adequately protected from undue commercial interests.
In May, 2016, WHA adopted the Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA), a policy due to be fully operational by May, 2018. While FENSA envisages that WHO will “exercise particular caution…when engaging with private sector entities …whose policies or activities are negatively affecting human health..”,1 the rhetoric and direction of WHO’s reform process as well as WHO’s chronic funding challenges have left us deeply concerned rather than reassured. We fear that instead of protecting WHO’s mandate, FENSA risks relegating WHO to a limited role, unable to stand up for human rights and democratic decision making.
We draw attention to the conflict of interest statement signed by more than 175 NGOs and networks representing more than 2000 groups and first launched at the UN High-Level Meeting on Non-communicable Diseases in 2011: “The policy development stage should be free from industry involvement to ensure a ‘health in all policies’ approach, which is not compromised by the obvious conflicts of interests associated with food, alcohol, beverage and other industries, that are primarily answerable to shareholders.”2
Alcohol, food, pharmaceutical, and medical technology industries should comply with policies developed by WHO and its Member States. Their role is not in public health policy formulation, risk assessments, risk management, or priority setting, nor in determining normative quality standards and legally binding regulations to protect and promote public health. These processes must be undertaken in an environment free of commercial influence.
We believe that only a WHO that protects its independence and integrity of decision making will have the ability to fulfil its constitutional mandate, and look forward to your response to our request.
PR holds shares in Nestlé SA, for the purpose of attending the Annual General Meeting. All other authors declare no competing interests.
References
- Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly. (Agenda item 11.3) (accessed April 21, 2017)Framework of engagement with non-state actors. ; May 28, 2016
- Conflict of Interest Coalition. (accessed April 21, 2017)Statement of concern. ; 2011
Signatories to ‘Ensuring integrity, independence and credibility: Open letter to the candidates for WHO DG’
NAME ORGANISATION
BROWN, Katherine Institute of Alcohol Studies
LOBSTEIN, Tim World Obesity Federation
RUNDALL, Patti International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN)
MWATSAMA, Modi UK Health Forum
JEFFRY, Bill Center for Health Science and Law
MACARI, Marisa Alianza por la Salud Alimentaria (The Alliance for Nutritional Health)
ALLEN, Kate World Cancer Research Fund International
BAKKE, Oystein Global Alcohol Policy Alliance
BABB, Anne International Blue Cross
GUPTA, Arun Alliance Against Conflict of Interest (AACI)
KAMAL-YANNI, Mohga OXFAM
SPENCER, Nick International Association for Social Pediatrics and Child Health (ISSOP)
BIJL, Dick International Committee of Drug Bulletins (ISDB)
PARKER, Meredith International Lactation Consultant Association
SPERKOVA, Kristina IOGT International
SCWARTZ, Thomas Medicus Mundi International. Network Health for All
MEURS, Mariska Wemos
HASSE, Mareike Bread for the World – Protestant Development Service
DURISCH, Patrick Public Eye (formerly known as Berne Declaration)
MACARI, Marisa El Poder del Consumidor
MELAU, William Ntakuka East African Alcohol Policy Alliance
SKAR, Mariann European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare)
VAN DALEN, Wim European Centre for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing (EUCAM)
BLACK, Diane European Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Alliance
PALMESINO, Ennio European Mutual help Network for Alcohol related problems (EMNA)
WEBER-SCHOENDORFER, Corinna European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS)
RENSHAW, Nina European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)
GALKUS, Lukas Alcohol Policy Youth Network
MARTIN, Teryy AlcoHelp
COSTELLO, Suzanne Alcohol Action Ireland
DOUGLAS, Alison Alcohol Focus Scotland
DOHERTY, Kieran Alcohol Forum Ireland
GILMORE, Ian Alcohol Health Alliance
LIVINGSTON, Bruce Lee Alcohol Justice
FURBER, Andrew Association of Directors of Public Health
ALEXANDER, Graeme British Association for the Study of the Liver
LANGFORD, Andrew British Liver Trust
MORIARTY, Kieran British Society of Gastroenterology
SCHAABER, Jorg BUKO Pharma-Kampagne
SHEPARD, Jonathan Crime and Security Research Institute, Cardiff University
VAN DALEN, Wim Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy STAP
BECKER, Gisela FASD Fachzentrum Berlin
BLACK, Diane Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Foundation of the Netherlands
SOMER, Sari Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
THORN, Michael Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education (FARE)
PESCE, Davide Forum Savonese del Terzo Settore
CRAWLEY, Helen Frist Steps Nutrition First
DENTICO, Nicoletta Health Innovation in Practice (HIP)
BAULD, Linda Institute for Social Marketing, University of Stirling
DRAMSTAD, Kalle IOGT NTO
MIDTTUN, Nijole Lithuanian Tobacco and Alcohol Control Coalition
GALLOWAY, David Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
MURRAY, Frank Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
IZUEL, Itziar SAF Group
SCHNEIDER, Helene School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
CARLIN, Eric Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP)
UK & European Birth Mother Network – FASD
BAULD, Linda UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies (UKCTAS)
CAPEWELL, Simon UK Faculty of Public Health
SHEPARD, Jonathan Violence Prevention Group, Cardiff Partnership
METELSKI, Catherine Vivre avec le SAF