Public Health Advocacy Institute

PHAI project releases White paper and policy brief addressing occupational injuries and illnesses among low-wage workers

Injury Reduction, Press Release /

A new white paper quantifies the numbers and costs of occupational injuries and illnesses to the U.S. low-wage workforce, and a companion policy brief explains the findings’ importance to policymakers. White Paper: Numbers and Costs of Occupational Injury and Illness in Low-Wage OccupationsPolicy Brief: Mom’s off Work ‘Cause She Got Hurt: The Economic Impact of Workplace Injuries […]

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PHAI’s Cara Wilking on updating children’s online privacy protection

Food Beverage Marketing, News /

It has been nearly 15 years since Congress enacted the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).  In that time, marketing in a digital world has become ubiquitous and, often, indistinguishable from other content.  An essential part of this transformation of marketing involves providing a a surprisingly wide variety of information about the users to advertisers

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Nestlé’s nutritional advice recommends avoiding Kraft Lunchables, but Nestlé puts its candy in Lunchables anyway

Feet To The Fire, Food Beverage Marketing /

This week, as millions of American children return to classrooms and lunchrooms, moms and dads are trying to sort out which pre-made food products are conducive to learning and a healthy diet and which are flashy, sophisticated packages of junk food. Nestlé, which deems itself “the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company” has teamed

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US Court of Appeals for DC Circuit deals painful blow to FDA, public health and consumers

Press Release, Tobacco /

For Immediate Release Mark Gottlieb, executive director of the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University School of Law in Boston states: “Today’s ruling leaves the FDA in a very difficult position as it seeks to execute the intent of Congress which specifically called for large graphic warnings on cigarette packs.  By this Court’s logic,

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PHAI joins the Center for Digital Democracy and others in complaint to FTC over children’s websites’ “Tell-A-Friend” tactics

Feet To The Fire, Food Beverage Marketing, Legal Filings, Press Release /

Today the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University School of Law in Boston has joined a coalition of children’s, health, privacy and consumer advocacy organizations in a complaint to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission against several children’s websites for violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The offending children’s websites use a

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For Many Living With Limb Loss, “Open Happiness” Doesn’t Ring True

Feet To The Fire, Food Beverage Marketing /

by Cara Wilking, JD As part of its 2012 Olympic Games marketing blitz, the Coca-Cola Company has assembled a “Coca-Cola 8-pack of Athletes” to  “serve as Coca-Cola \’Ambassadors of Active Living’ to help encourage and inspire people to lead active, balanced lives.”[1] This group includes Jessica Long, a 2012 U.S. Paralympic Swimming Team nominee.[2] Ms. Long was born

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Health Groups Ask Federal Trade Commission to Investigate Merck’s Use of “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” Characters to Market Children’s Claritin®

Feet To The Fire, Injury Reduction, Press Release /

Wednesday, June 20, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Cara Wilking, 617-373-5699 Today, the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, joined by 10 other organizations, sent a letter to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asking that it investigate Merck & Co. Inc.’s  Madagascar 3-themed marketing campaign for its flagship pediatric

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PHAI’s Friedman and Gottlieb Co-author: “Soda and Tobacco Industry Corporate Social Responsibility Campaigns: How Do They Compare?” in PLoS Medicine

Food Beverage Marketing, Press Release, Publications, Tobacco /

PHAI senior staff attorney Lissy Friedman and executive director Mark Gottlieb collaborated with Lori Dorfman, Andrew Cheyne and Asiya Wadud of the Berkeley Media Studies Group to produce this article published today in PLoS Medicine. Soda companies’ PR campaigns are bad for health: Health advocates need to organize strong public health campaigns to educate the

PHAI’s Friedman and Gottlieb Co-author: “Soda and Tobacco Industry Corporate Social Responsibility Campaigns: How Do They Compare?” in PLoS Medicine Read More »

Altria’s Annual Shareholders Meeting in Richmond, Virginia: Retirement provides no change in the company’s conduct

Tobacco /

By Edward L. Sweda, Jr. In January 2012, Altria Group, Inc. announced that CEO Michael E. Szymanczyk  would retire after the completion of the company’s Annual Shareholders Meeting in Richmond, Virginia on May 17.  Mr. Szymancyk worked for the company in various capacities for 23 years.  Michael J. Barrington was named to succeed him as

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The Hidden Energy Costs of School Beverage Vending Machines

Feet To The Fire, Food Beverage Marketing /

PHAI has produced a fact sheet detailing state-by-state electricity costs of traditional cold beverage vending machines. A traditional cold beverage vending machine consumes an estimated 3000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year (kWh/yr). That translates to an average annual energy cost of $313 per machine. Even more energy efficient machines still use between 1200 and 1500 kWh/yr. When multiplied

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