Exclusive: Experts pull out of health conferences run by Economist Impact after revelations of commercial links
Pressure is mounting on the publisher of the Economist over its commercial ties with the world’s three biggest tobacco companies, after numerous senior NHS and international health experts pulled out of two more Economist Impact health conferences after the Guardian’s investigation into its links with big tobacco.
Last week, the Guardian revealed that Economist Impact, a division of the Economist Group that ran 136 events in its latest financial year, had been forced to cancel a high-profile world cancer conference in Brussels at the last minute after a backlash from speakers and those due to attend.
The investigation found that Economist Impact has deep ties with Philip Morris International (PMI), Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and British American Tobacco (BAT).
Now the future of two conferences due to take place in London also hang in the balance. Future of Health Europe was due to have more than 100 speakers and more than 550 people attending, while the AI in Health summit had about 60 speakers and more than 300 attending.
Seventeen leading UK health executives were due to speak at the two conferences. They included the chief scientific officer for England, the chief medical officer of the Scottish government, and NHS England’s national clinical director for infection management and antimicrobial resistance, as well as senior executives at a number of NHS trusts, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).
But more than a dozen prominent health experts have so far pulled out of the conference this week after the Guardian’s revelations, including Sue Hill, the chief scientific officer for England, and Matt Inada-Kim, NHS England’s national clinical director for infection management and antimicrobial resistance, as well as speakers representing Nice, the UKHSA, the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board, Imperial Healthcare Partners, and Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS foundation trust.
Prof Sir Michael Marmot, director of the Institute of Health Equity at University College London and a global authority on health inequalities, said: “I was not aware Economist Impact were supported by big tobacco companies when I accepted the invitation to speak at this event. Now I am aware, I will no longer be appearing at the conference. I have never and would never work with the tobacco industry, and I am disappointed these details were not disclosed in advance.
“As my Marmot Review for Industry showed, I think it is vital that business plays a role in promoting health equity. However, this kind of sponsorship is unhelpful and gives mixed messages.”
Dr Raghib Ali, the chief executive of Our Future Health, said: “I had no idea that the Economist Impact programme was linked in any way with the tobacco industry when I originally agreed to speak at their event. I have now withdrawn from the event. As a doctor who has worked for many years in A&E departments, I have seen the devastating impact that tobacco has on people’s health and the burden it imposes on our NHS.”
Source: The Guardian
