Coke-Funded Health Research Not Credible, Says CSPI

Statement of CSPI President Michael F. Jacobson

I commend Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent for recognizing that “the way we have engaged the public health and scientific communities to tackle the global obesity epidemic… is not working.”  But the actions he said his company will adopt sound like more of the same old public-relations flimflam.

Coke has a long history of using its spending power to silence potential critics and purchase powerful allies inside and outside of academia.  The public will remain justifiably skeptical of any nutrition or health research funded by Coca-Cola.  Would anyone trust lung cancer research funded by Philip Morris?  

If Coke truly wanted to salvage its reputation, it also would stop opposing public health measures such as soda taxes or warning labels, and it would stop all marketing of disease-causing products to children and adolescents worldwide.