When City Council was considering a soda tax last spring, doctors testified from the children's Hospital of Philadelphia about the dangers of sugar-sweetened drinks. On Wednesday, the Hospital announced that it is his program of obesity with the help of $ 10 million of the very industry that would extend it produces.
The money can be as much as the number of overweight kids that children healthy weight programme will in the next three years triple. But critics said that it undermines the hospital's independent voice.
"There is no question that the children's Hospital good will do with the money," said Kelly Brownell, Director of the Rudd Center for food policy and obesity at Yale University. "The question is, at what cost?"
The three-year grant is the inaugural gift of the Foundation for a healthy America, a nonprofit created by the American Beverage Association.
The industry first made the offer last spring, when members of the Municipal Council Mayor Nutter's proposed 2 cent tax on every ounce of sugar-sweetened beverages were debating sold in the city. The tax was projected to bring in $ 20 million for measures for the prevention of obesity and more money for the General Fund. The idea fizzled in may without going to a vote.
Children's CEO Steven Altschuler said the agreement was fully vetted and imposes no restrictions on research.
"We can study soda," he said. "We can study what we want."
The healthy weight programme, which had an annual budget of $ 440,000, will double its staff of 10 and can move to a larger space, spokesman for the children of George Bochanski said.
The number of children who treats each year, approximately 225, can triple. Outreach and education through children's Hospital of the vast network of Pediatricians could grow more than 10 times, Bochanski said.
Altschuler said that he had started meeting with health insurers in the region. They often do not cover obesity treatment, unless it is part of the care for diabetes or any other disease. He hopes that the research of the program helps change that. "To tackle Some of these very big issues of health, you are not alone," Altschuler said. "You need the help of the industry."
Altschuler pointed to children from 13 years of partnership with State Farm Insurance to study teen driving and improve safety. Critics say that there is more at stake in this deal.
"[Children] Would take money from Philip Morris to do work on tobacco control?" Brownell said. "It is absurd. And the fact that they have convinced themselves that this is acceptable is the most startling piece of this. "
Nancy Huehnergarth, Director of the New York State healthy eating and physical activity Alliance, email Altschuler on Wednesday, asked him to return the "tainted, special-interest money."
Ten million dollars is considerably, said Gary Foster, Director of the Center for obesity research and education at the University of the temple, who is also research money of the beverage industry has accepted. Its center was one of the many contracted by Coca-Cola to study the impact of fortified diet soda on weight loss and receiving approximately $ 500,000, he said. The results are now written. On the children's grant, he said, "I think there's inherent conflicts in accept that much money from an industry that is strong in the obesity epidemic is involved."
Several researchers said they would look at how the hospital succeeded grant: does the program access to expand with care and legitimate research produce? And how will the hospital respond if her information about her benefactor negative thinking?
Larry Ceisler, spokesman for the coalition of bottlers, Teamsters and others who opposed the tax, said the grant fit with industry long history of philanthropy.
Nutter has said that he will not the soda tax again this year. But similar measures be considered in other States, including Texas, Utah and California.
And of the city fight continues, under the leadership of Commissioner Donald f. Schwarz, who is a pediatrician in children before he was the city in 2008. Schwarz would only say that he trusted his former colleagues.
He told City Council last year that Philadelphians about 60 million litres of sugar-sweetened beverages in one year – almost half a litre per inhabitant per day drinking. He pointed to the effectiveness of taxes on cigarettes in reducing use.
The city maintains a website on sugary drinks at foodfitphilly.org and a television ad, in which the stimulus money is running. In the vending machines on City Hall, water, diet soft drinks and fruit juices dominate the selections and 20-ounce bottles of soda have been replaced by 12-ounce cans. Nutter said through spokesman Mark McDonald on Wednesday that he had great respect for the researchers and doctors, on children. "I'm sure the fact that the money of the beverage industry will raise some eyebrows," he said. "But in the end, CHOP will control of the research and independent study will happen." Contact staff writer Chelsea Conaboy at 215-854-4,802 or cconaboy@phillynews.com.
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