American Academy of Family Physicians Sells its Soul to Coke

Coke in US family doctors alliance

By Jonathan Birchall in New York

Published: October 6 2009 16:45 | Last updated: October 6 2009 16:45

Financial Times

Coca-Cola, the world’s largest soft drink company, has formed a corporate partnership with the leading US family doctors group to promote healthier diet and lifestyle choices, as it fights back against growing pressure from health policy groups for a tax on sugared sodas.

The American Academy of Family Physicians said on Tuesday that Coca-Cola would be the first corporate partner in a new “consumer alliance” that would work “to educate consumers about the role their products can play in a healthy, active lifestyle”.

Coke is providing AAFP with a grant to develop educational content on soft drinks and sweeteners for the group’s popularFamilyDoctor.org health website.

Lori Heim, president-elect of the AAFP, said the group would receive “a strong six figure” payment annually from Coca-Cola to fund its work under the partnership. She said the group would give Coke “appropriate recognition” in the material produced for its involvement, but that the AAFP retained editorial control, including over whether or not to use Coca-Cola’s logo.

The AAFP, she said, had approached Coke and other companies over the idea of sponsorship, after previous cooperation on health issues.

Dr Rhona Applebaum, chief scientific and regulatory officer at Coca-Cola, said the partnership would “help provide Americans with credible information on beverages and enable consumers to make informed decisions about what they drink based on individual need.”

The announcement is part of a raft of steps being taken by Coke amid growing calls from some health policy makers for a federal tax on sugared drinks, and idea that has received some support from the White House.

New York city’s health department is running advertising on the city’s subway aimed at discouraging consumption of sugared sodas and juices.

Michael Jacobsen, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which is actively supporting the idea of a federal “soda-tax”, criticised the AAFP move.

“Nothing particularly good will come of it,” he said.

“But Coca-Cola will be able to brag publicly that it is involved in a health education effort with one of America’s most respected medical groups.”

Coke said last week it would put calorie-serving counts on the front of soft-drink packaging in the US, following a policy already adopted in Australia, Mexico and Europe.

It has also launched advertising in leading US markets highlighting the step and plans to introduce new, smaller 90-calorie cans of Coke next year.

Coke is also participating along with about 40 other food companies in a new group, the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, aimed at combatting rising levels of childhood obesity in the US.

Six years ago, Coca-Cola announced a similar partnership with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists on efforts to fight tooth decay.

The AAFP said that while it did not endorse any specific brand, product or service, its new consumer alliance “will collaborate with companies that share the common goal of informing consumers, as well as medical professionals, about new advances in product science and best practices for good health”.