10 May 2019 --- Concerns about conflicts of interest in commercially funded health research have generated increasing disclosure requirements, but are these enough to assess influence? This is the question posed by University of Cambridge (UoC) researchers in a long-term investigation using soft drinks giant Coca-Cola as an example. A new study of Freedom of Information (FOI) documents uncovered provisions that could allow the beverage player to suppress findings from health science it funds at North American universities. Researchers argue that Coca-Cola’s contracts run counter to their public declarations of openness. However, Coca-Cola points out “these claims and documents refer to research carried out before 2016” and that it has not independently funded research on issues related to health and wellbeing.
