National regulations aimed at preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in smaller, low- or middle-income countries may be influenced by challenges made through the World Trade Organization (WTO) by wealthier countries, according to a study publishing this week in PLOS Medicine.
Pepita Barlow of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and colleagues, analyzed a newly created dataset of trade challenges related to food, beverage, and tobacco regulations among the 122 WTO members, and described the patterns of regulatory challenges. The researchers found 93 regulations were challenged over the course of 20 years. ‘Unnecessary’ trade costs were named as the focus of 15 (16.4%) of challenges. Of the challenges raised against low- and middle-income countries, 72 (77.4%) were raised by high-income countries, and in at least 4 cases, challenges were associated with changes to food and beverage regulations.
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