Coca Cola in your doctor's office

Could you ever imagine your doctor recommending you to have a coke every day as a method to reach optimal health?


- I didn’t think so… sadly this might become the truth in the near future; and needs to be added to the list of medical fiascos.

So, who am I to make such a vulgar statement about our medical industry…

Well, on October 6, 2009 The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) announced the new corporate partnership program with The Coca-Cola Company!

LEAWOOD, Kan. — The American Academy of Family Physicians today announced the Consumer Alliance, a new corporate partnership program, with its first alliance partner, The Coca-Cola Company.

The Consumer Alliance is a program that allows corporate partners like The Coca-Cola Company to work with the AAFP to educate consumers about the role their products can play in a healthy, active lifestyle. As part of this partnership, The Coca-Cola Company is providing a grant to the AAFP to develop consumer education content on beverages and sweeteners for FamilyDoctor.org, an award-winning consumer health and wellness resource.

”The AAFP recognizes the significant influence that consumer companies have on consumer health,” said Lori Heim, M.D., president-elect of the AAFP. “We look forward to working with The Coca-Cola Company, and other companies in the future, on the development of educational materials to teach consumers how to make the right choices and incorporate the products they love into a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.”

“We are proud to be the first company to partner with the AAFP and feature content on FamilyDoctor.org,” said Dr. Rhona Applebaum, vice president and chief scientific and regulatory officer at The Coca-Cola Company. “Our partnership will help provide Americans with credible information on beverages and enable consumers to make informed decisions about what they drink based on individual need.”

FamilyDoctor.org was recently named one of “Five Great Health Sites” on a Newsweek.com blog, and one of the “‘Top Ten’ Most Useful Web Sites” by the Medical Library Association. The new beverage and sweetener content is expected to launch in January 2010. Visit familydoctor.org for more information.

While the AAFP does not endorse any specific brand, product or service, the AAFP Consumer Alliance will collaborate with companies that share the common goal of informing consumers, as well as medical professionals, about new advances in product science and best practices for good health.

Tragic! No matter how much money The coca cola company paid AAFP it is not worth it – their credibility will drop, or maybe even worse – their words about a healthy lifestyle might be embraced by the public just because we love to hear that the unhealthy foods and drinks we are eating has in fact become healthy all of a sudden. If you hear anyone saying that soda is a way to reach optimal health – you should probably just walk away…

To read the whole announcement by AAFP, go to:

http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/media/releases/newsreleases-statements-2009/consumeralliance-cocacola.html