Alcohol Researchers Should Not Accept Funding From the Alcohol Industry: Perspectives From Brief Interventions Research

537 INEBRIA (the International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol & Other Drugs) is an organization of more than 500 researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders interested in the potential of brief interventions in health and other settings to reduce the harms produced by alcohol and other drug use. It aims to provide global leadership in the development, evaluation, and implementation of evidence-based practice in the area of early identification and brief intervention for hazardous and harmful substance use. It is the INEBRIA view that the commercial activities of the alcohol industry pose a conflict of interest of such magnitude that any form of engagement with the alcohol industry may influence the independence, objectivity, integrity, and credibility internationally and pose risks to any researcher accepting any form of support for research activities. Any attention given by the industry to brief interventions is likely to be detrimental to evidence-based public health. Seeking or receiving funding from, and indeed having any relationships with, the alcohol industry, therefore, should be discouraged. This includes any organization that is industry funded, directly or indirectly, such as research funding bodies and public relations organizations that claim to be concerned with social aspects of alcohol in order to influence policy. At its 2014 annual general meeting, INEBRIA decided to adopt a position statement with regard to the alcohol industry, whose interests are in conflict with its aims and objectives (International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol & Other Drugs, 2015). In the position statement, the alcohol industry is broadly defined to include producers, distributors, sellers, and marketers of alcohol, including any company that derives significant revenues from producing, selling, or marketing alcoholic products (Jernigan, 2009). The alcohol industry also includes beer, wine, and spirit trade associations and social aspects and public relations organizations (Babor, 2009). INEBRIA draws a distinction between alcohol industry activities within the state sector (e.g., alcohol retail monopolies), which are managed in the public interest, and those that are in the private sector, where the pursuit of profit motivates industry actions. The position statement is concerned with the latter. PERSPECTIVES