Alcohol industry involvement in policymaking: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Public Health Policy
• Political Science
• Industry Influence Studies

Background:

• Alcohol industry involvement in policymaking is a critical area of public health research.
• Understanding industry tactics is essential for effective public policy development.
• Previous studies have documented various forms of industry interference.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing evidence on alcohol industry involvement in national and supranational policymaking.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of the substantive findings from relevant studies.
• To generate a novel synthesis of the current body of evidence.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of peer-reviewed journal reports published between 1980 and 2016.
• Inclusion criteria required explicit investigation of alcohol industry interventions in policymaking.
• Thematic synthesis using an inductive approach guided by research aims.

Main Results:

• Twenty reports from 15 studies reveal pervasive alcohol industry influence on policymaking.
• Industry actors frame policy debates to exclude unfavorable issues and manage threats.
• Evidence synthesis details observed impacts on national alcohol policy decision-making globally.

Conclusions:

• Alcohol industry actors employ strategic, sophisticated, and organized methods to influence policymaking.
• Their influence tactics are pervasive and impact policy agendas.
• The findings underscore the need for vigilance in public policymaking processes.