Alcohol Policy and the World Health Organization: What Happened at the Recent Executive Board Meeting

THE ALCOHOL ISSUES PODCAST – EPISODE 02 – SEASON 02

ALCOHOL POLICY AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: WHAT HAPPENED AT THE RECENT EXECUTIVE BOARD

This podcast episode is part of Movendi International’s work to promote evidence-based alcohol policy development at all levels and to translate scientific evidence into policy action that protects people and communities from alcohol harm.

The guest host

For this episode there is a guest host who will lead the conversation with Maik Dünnbier of Movendi International about the WHO global alcohol action plan, the discussions at the Executive Board, and many other related questions.

Pierre Andersson is hosting today’s conversation.

Pierre Andersson is the Policy Advisor on Alcohol and Development at the IOGT-NTO Movement. The IOGT-NTO Movement is a Swedish development organization that works for poverty eradication by supporting partners to tackle alcohol as obstacle to development.

• Follow Pierre Andersson on Twitter.
• Learn more about the IOGT-NTO Movement’s work.

S2 E2 Topic

More than 100 countries were represented by 27 statements made during the debate about the WHO draft global alcohol action plan at the Executive Board Meeting.

Following the discussion, the Executive Board decided unanimously to adopt the global alcohol action plan and recommend final approval at the World Health Assembly later this year.

This decision underlines that alcohol harm is a public health priority and that accelerated alcohol policy action has strong support from WHO Member States.

So, how did we get here? What were the key issues during the debate? And what happens next?

After an extensive, two-year long process of developing a global alcohol action plan, the WHO Executive Board discussed the plan in particular and alcohol policy issues in general.

Pierre talks with Maik about the content of the action plan, the process of developing it, and the attempts of the alcohol industry to interfere and water it down. And they share their assessments of what’s good and bad regarding elements of the action plan.

Pierre and Maik followed the Executive Board discussion about alcohol policy and we they share their impressions, reflections, and take aways. They shed some light on countries that champion making alcohol policy a public health priority and countries that promote the alcohol industry’s profit interests. And they talk about bigger picture considerations and the way forward.

Resources for the episode

On Movendi International's News Center, you can find multiple resource on the topics covered in the conversation:

• WHO Executive Board Discusses Alcohol Policy, Adopts Global Alcohol Action Plan. Read more here…
• Finally a Priority? Alcohol Policy at WHO EB150. Read more here…
• Civil Society Steps Up to Help Accelerate Alcohol Policy Action Worldwide. Read more here…
• WHO: Global Alcohol Action Plan Consultation Submissions Published. Read more here…
• Exposed: The Strategies Big Alcohol Deploys to Interfere in WHO Alcohol Policy Consultation. Read more here…
• Big Tobacco’s Strategic Ally Interferes in WHO Alcohol Policy Consultation. Read more here…
• WHO Fails to Adequately Protect Global Alcohol Policy Development From Alcohol, Tobacco Industry Interference. Read more here…
• Big Alcohol Attempts to Undermine WHO Global Action Plan. Read more here…
• Big Alcohol’s Fundamental Conflict of Interest. Read more here…
• 4 Reasons WHO Should Quit the Concept of ‘Harmful Use of Alcohol’. Read more here…
• Landmark Study: No Level of Alcohol Use Improves Health. Read more here…

Feedback

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo . You can also reach me on twitter and find my contact details in the show notes.

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on Twitter, too.

About The Alcohol Issues Podcast

The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production by Movendi International. It’s a show about current alcohol issues of global importance. Through in-depth conversations with policy makers, community leaders and scientists, we explore alcohol policy issues, discuss landmark scientific studies, and expose the alcohol industry.