Health advisory labels on alcoholic beverages
FSANZ is working on two projects that involve the labelling of alcoholic beverages. The first project is Application A576, an application to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) to require health advisory statements on packaged alcoholic beverage labels advising of the risks of drinking alcohol when planning to become pregnant and during pregnancy.
The second project came from the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council in their request for us to consider mandatory health advisory statements on packaged alcohol to help curb alcohol misuse.
Project 1: Application A576 – Labelling of alcoholic beverages with a pregnancy health advisory label
Who made the Application and what is it about?
We received the Application to amend the Code to require pregnancy health advisory statements on the labels of alcoholic beverages from the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand in 2006.
There is evidence that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can be associated with varying degrees of harm to the unborn child. Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe the wide range of effects on the foetus from drinking alcohol when pregnant. The applicant believes that the putting health advisory labels on alcoholic beverage containers is an essential part of a much wider public health strategy aimed at increasing awareness of the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
What progress has been made on this project?
We released a discussion paper for an eight-week period of public comment in December 2007 (see the Initial Assessment Report)
Ninety submissions were received. We have collated and evaluated the information provided by submitters.
After Food Regulation Ministerial Council requested us to consider mandatory health advisory statements on packaged alcohol in relation to alcohol misuse, we had to determine the most effective way to progress A576 given the overlap of the two projects.
Project 2: Health advisory statements on packaged alcohol to help curb alcohol misuse
What is this project about?
In May 2008, the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council asked us to consider mandatory health warnings on packaged alcohol in the context of the Council of Australian Governments’ concerted approach to reducing alcohol misuse, including ‘binge drinking’.
The Food Regulation Ministerial Council has asked us to take into account the work of the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, relevant guidelines in New Zealand, and recommendations of the soon-to-be-released National Health and Medical Research Council’s Australian Alcohol Guidelines for Low Risk Drinking, when carrying out this work.
Are the two projects connected?
Yes. Because of the commonality of evidence on the effectiveness of labelling for these projects, we decided to align the timelines for the two projects.
We have commissioned an independent comprehensive literature review of the evidence relating to the effectiveness of health advisory statements on the labels of alcoholic beverages as a strategy for alerting the community to the dangers of drinking alcohol when pregnantand of alcohol misuse. The aim of the review is to see how effective health advisory statements are in raising public awareness of the issues and, as an ultimate outcome, whether they contribute to other government measures to alter personal behaviour.
We are also carrying out cost effectiveness studies for each project.
What is the timeline for the two projects?
We anticipate a Draft Assessment Report for Application A576 will be released in mid-2009. At this stage we anticipate completing the Final Assessment Report for Application A576 by the end of 2009 and forwarding this to the Food Regulation Ministerial Council in 2010. This means that if new health advisory statements are recommended the earliest such labelling requirements could be gazetted is 2010
For the project considering mandatory health advisory statements on alcoholic beverages to help curb alcohol misuse, we expect that the review of the evidence and an economic analysis will be presented to the Food Regulation Ministerial Council in May 2009. Any further work on the project is dependent on the Food Regulation Ministerial Council’s response to FSANZ after their meeting in May 2009.
Will there be opportunities for the public to comment?
Yes, the Draft Assssment Report for Application A576 will be released for public comment (probably in mid-2009 as noted above).
In relation to the project considering health advisory statements about alcohol misuse, should the Food Regulation Ministerial Council request that FSANZ continue to consider the need for mandatory health advisory statements on alcoholic beverages after their meeting in May 2009, we will subsequently release a document for public consultation.
What is the attitude of the Australian and New Zealand Governments to drinking while pregnant?
Currently the Australian Alcohol Guidelines (2001) state that women who are pregnant or might soon become pregnant may consider not drinking at all, but if they choose to drink they should have less than seven standard drinks over a week and no more than two standard drinks on any one day.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) began reviewing the Australian Alcohol Guidelines in 2007. On 13 October 2007, the NHMRC issued revised draft guidelines for public consultation (see www.nhmrc.gov.au ). The draft guideline for women who are pregnant, are planning a pregnancy, or are breastfeeding is: ‘Not drinking is the safest option’. At this time, the NHMRC anticipates releasing the revised guidelines towards the end of 2008.
The New Zealand Ministry of Health recommends that it is best not to drink alcohol during pregnancy.
Do other countries require health advisory statements on alcoholic beverages?
Yes, some countries do. The United States has had such a requirement in place since 1989 for labelling, both in relation to pregnancy and general harm from drinking excess alcohol.
Other countries requiring health advisory statements on labels about drinking alcohol during pregnancy include Russia, South Korea, South Africa and France. Some countries have considered the need for advisory statements about the risks of consuming alcohol during pregnancy, and have decided not to make these mandatory. They include Canada and Finland.
A number of other countries, such as Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, require more general health advisory statements, such as ‘excess alcohol is damaging to your health’.
How can I keep in touch with the progress of Application A576 and the project on health advisory statements in relation to alcohol misuse?
We will report progress with Application A576 and the project on health advisory statements in relation to alcohol misuse, on our website (see http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/ ).
November 2008