Lobbying transparency recommendations welcomed by health groups
7 reported
A letter published in The Guardian on July 14, 2026, from three health organization leaders expresses support for recommendations from the ethics and integrity commission to improve transparency around lobbying. The letter states that companies whose profits depend on the sale of harmful products, including tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food, have repeatedly sought to influence public health policies. The authors note that research has documented efforts to deny, dilute, and delay harm-reduction measures while promoting approaches favorable to commercial interests. They argue that lobbying often occurs behind closed doors without scrutiny. The letter endorses the commission’s recommendations as a step toward ensuring public policy is developed in the public interest. The authors call for decisions affecting the nation’s health to be informed by the best available evidence and made transparently, stating the public has a right to know who is seeking to influence those decisions.
What’s reported
The letter was published in The Guardian on July 14, 2026.
It was written by Caroline Cerny (deputy chief executive, Action on Smoking and Health), Prof Ian Gilmore (chair, Alcohol Health Alliance), and Katharine Jenner (executive director, Obesity Health Alliance).
The letter welcomes the ethics and integrity commission’s recommendations to improve transparency around lobbying.
The authors state that companies whose profits depend on harmful products (tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy food) have sought to influence public health policies.
Research has documented efforts to deny, dilute, and delay harm-reduction measures.
The letter says lobbying often takes place behind closed doors with no opportunity for scrutiny.
The authors argue that transparency is essential to building trust and protecting the integrity of policymaking.
Key figures
Caroline Cerny, deputy chief executive, Action on Smoking and Health
Prof Ian Gilmore, chair, Alcohol Health Alliance
Katharine Jenner, executive director, Obesity Health Alliance
Sources: The Guardian
