Experts ‘opposing Public Health England link with drink industry-funded charity’

Dozens of experts have written to the Government’s public health agency to oppose its link-up with a charity funded largely by the alcohol industry, it has been reported.

Some 46 people, in fields ranging from illegal drugs to alcohol, have sent a letter to Public Health England (PHE) over its decision to work with Drinkaware on the new Drink Free Days campaign, according to the BBC.

The broadcaster said it has seen a letter which says the tie-up “will significantly damage the credibility of PHE”.

The letter is said to conclude that “industry-funded messages and social marketing campaigns should not be a substitute for publicly funded campaigns providing independent and evidence-based information”.

It comes after Professor Sir Ian Gilmore and Professor John Britton, senior advisers to PHE on alcohol and tobacco, wrote a letter in The Times saying their roles had been “undermined”.

Prof Gilmore was said to have left his role, and the newspaper added that Prof Britton would follow suit unless PHE changed course.

The Drink Free Days campaign is urging people to have two days off from alcohol a week, with PHE saying the partnership with Drinkaware “is a fresh and bold step in our work to reduce alcohol harm”.

PHE said it was “steadfast in its ambition to reduce the harms that drinking too much alcohol can cause” and that it would “work together with any partner that speaks to the evidence and shares the same commitment”.