Preventive Health Conference 2026 - Plenary Session 3 - Navigating the Commercial Determinants of Health

Plenary Session 3 - Navigating the Commercial Determinants of Health

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Grand Ballroom

Details

This plenary examines how commercial forces—such as marketing, product availability, corporate lobbying, and industry partnerships—shape health outcomes. It reflects on the challenges of increased access and spread of health misinformation, often orchestrated by harmful industries, and the critical consideration of the strategies needed to align commercial interests with public health goals. Also explored is how commercial determinants can work against public health by promoting harmful products and behaviours, and how they can be harnessed to support prevention through innovation, regulation, and collaboration.

Session Chair & Q&A Moderator: Dr Michelle Jongenelis - Principal Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne

Keynote presentations

Q&A with Keynote speakers

Speaker

A/Prof. Katherine Cullerton

Associate Professor

The University of Queensland

The hidden battle for hearts and minds

Abstract

Engagement between public health professionals and the commercial sector is increasingly common but remains contested. While many companies provide valuable products and services, some industries profit from products and practices that harm population health, creating inherent tensions for public health. This presentation will examine how certain industries seek to shape scientific evidence and public narratives to protect their commercial interests. It will also highlight a key vulnerability for harmful industries, presenting an opportunity for public health professionals to use collective action and digital platforms to drive meaningful change.

Biography

Katherine Cullerton is an Associate Professor in Global Health and Health Policy at the University of Queensland’s School of Public Health. Her research explores why evidence often fails to inform public health policy and examines the tactics used by the corporate sector to influence policy decisions. She also investigates how public health advocates can more effectively shape policy outcomes in Australia and internationally. A key focus of her work is understanding and managing conflicts of interest, particularly around engagement between public health researchers and the food industry. Katherine is a qualified dietitian and has worked across diverse settings, including Aboriginal health, schools, tobacco control, and national health policy.

Prof Gary Sacks

Professor of Public Health Policy

Deakin University

Shifting the balance: addressing excessive corporate power and incentivising business models for health

Abstract

This presentation will outline potential policy solutions that can be used to address excessive corporate power and incentivise business models for health. It will provide an overview of a broad range of policy solutions (including competition regulation, corporate law, and corporate reporting) and examples of where they have been applied.

Biography

Gary Sacks is Co-Director of the Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE) at Deakin University, Australia. He is also Director of a new research translation centre focused on addressing the economic and commercial determinants of health. Gary co-founded INFORMAS - an international network (active in >70 countries) for improving the healthiness of food environments. Gary has co-authored several international reports on food policy and corporate influences on health, including the Lancet Commission on Obesity, and several reports for UNICEF and the World Health Organization.