A brewing company behind iconic Australian beers including Victoria Bitter and Carlton Draught funded research that was allegedly manipulated to find beer was good for the heart.
The US National Institute of Health has pulled funding from the $100 million health research that was funded by companies including Anheuser-Busch InBev.
ABInBev owns Carlton United Breweries, which makes beers including Victoria Bitter, Great Northern, Strongbow Classic Apple Cider, Corona and Crown Lager.
The brewing company behind iconic Australia beers including Victoria Bitter and Calton Draught has been caught funding research that was manipulated
Scientists from the institute sought funding from alcohol companies in return for a study that would ‘only publish positive results’, the Daily Telegraph reported.
‘The study outcomes are focussed on whether or not there is a benefit,’ a scientist said in an email seen by the publication.
‘The study is not powered to identify negative health effects.’
Institute Director Francis Collins announced the funding had been cancelled on June 15 due to the ‘secretive way’ staff at the institute met with alcohol companies, the Washington Post reported.
ABInBev owns Calrton Breweries (pictured), which brews beers including Victoria Bitter, Great Northern, Strongbow Classic Apple Cider, Corona and Crown Lager.
‘Many people who have seen this working-group report were frankly shocked to see so many lines crossed,’ he said.
The NIH was also concerned about whether the study had looked into the links between alcohol and cancer.
‘This includes whether the study would effectively address other significant consequences of moderate alcohol intake, such as cancer,’ the institute said in a statement.
ABInBev withdrew its $15.4 million funding contribution on June 8 and had no role in the design of the research
Five companies ABInBev, Carlsberg Group, Diageo, Heineken and Pernod Ricard provided $60 million in funding.
ABInBev withdrew its $15.4 million funding contribution on June 8 and had no role in the design or execution of the research the NY Times reported.
‘Unfortunately, recent questions raised around the study could undermine its lasting credibility, which is why we have decided to end our funding,’ the company stated in a letter seen by the publication.
The company stated it agreed to the trial ‘because we believed it would yield valuable, science-based insights into the health effects of moderate drinking.’
He said the company put ‘stringent firewalls’ in place to ‘safeguard the objectivity and independence of the science.’
The NIH was also concerned about whether the study had looked into the links between alcohol and cancer
Five companies ABInBev, Carlsberg Group, Diageo, Heineken and Pernod Ricard provided $60 million in funding