The Belgian Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Frank Vandenbroucke, will open a day-long forum in Brussels on 12 June, hosted by the Ministry of Health, where WHO/Europe’s pioneering report on the commercial determinants of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) will be launched.

Commercial determinants of health refers to the ways in which commercial sector actors, their products and practices impact on health. There is growing evidence of the negative impact of certain commercial sector activities on health, particularly driving NCDs, like cardiovascular diseases and cancer, through promoting harmful products such as tobacco, ultra-processed foods and alcohol, and employing various tactics to obstruct NCD policy implementation. Evidence also shows that these activities exacerbate inequities in our society.

This new report and the forum aim to:

• raise awareness of the NCD burden in the WHO European Region and highlight industry’s contributions to this challenge;
• highlight corporate interference strategies employed by commercial entities to impede NCD-related policies in the Region;
• discuss the most effective approaches to engage policy-makers in the commercial determinants of NCDs; and
• strategize on how to better shield the public health community from commercial interference.

During the event, key messages from the report will be presented. Representatives of Member States will participate in panel discussions alongside key stakeholders, including civil society organization representatives, and public health, public policy and legal experts.

This event will provide a space for learning, reflection and discussion on policy implications and future action to curtail and manage the commercial determinants of NCDs. It will be of interest to anyone concerned with public health.

In-person attendance is by invitation only. The working language for the event will be English with simultaneous interpretation in Russian. Online participation is possible after registration (see link).

The new report is produced by WHO/Europe’s Special Initiative on Noncommunicable Diseases and Innovation (SNI). This initiative underscores WHO/Europe’s commitment to fostering healthier environments and reducing the prevalence of NCDs across the Region.

For more information about the event or the report, please contact SNI@who.int.

For media queries, please contact Maebh Ní Fhallúin (nim@who.int).