Corporate interests often obscure the real impacts of their products on public health

Companies sometimes conceal the detrimental health effects of their products, such as forever chemicals, to maintain profits, despite known risks

Nicholas Chartres and Lisa Bero write for The Conversation.

In short:

• Corporate tactics like suppressing research and manufacturing doubt prevent effective health regulations and public awareness, especially concerning forever chemicals and ultra-processed foods.
• This corporate behavior has contributed to diseases linked to tobacco, alcohol, and fossil fuels, implicated in a significant portion of global deaths.
• Despite known dangers, companies like 3M and DuPont concealed damaging health effects of their products to protect profits, influencing both consumer safety and environmental health.

Key quote:

"We now know exposure to just four classes of product – tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed foods and fossil fuels – are linked to one out of every three deaths worldwide."

— Nicholas Chartres and Lisa Bero, co-authors

Why this matters:

Understanding the extent of corporate influence on our health is important, especially as these practices contribute significantly to global mortality and disease. Stronger regulations and transparency to expose unethical practices can mitigate these risks. Read more: The birth of greenwashing.