Money, Power, Health: How Corporations Shape Our Health | Dr. Nason Maani (Commercial Determinants Researcher)

Dr Nason Maani Reveals the Commercial Forces Behind our Health

"The health impact of corporate power isn't just about products—it's about how commercial interests shape the entire landscape of health policy and research."

— Dr Nason Maani

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dr Nason Maani, lecturer in Inequalities and Global Health Policy at the University of Edinburgh, author of "The Commercial Determinants of Health," and host of the podcast “Money, Power, Health” discusses the complex interplay between commercial interests, power dynamics, and health outcomes.


What You'll Learn:

  • How multinational corporations employ similar sophisticated strategies to influence health policy, including lobbying, revolving door employment, and strategic philanthropy

  • The specific ways commercial actors shape evidence through research funding priorities and selective publication of results

  • Why structural market failures in healthcare create environments where commercial interests can dominate public health concerns

  • How to identify and counteract corporate messaging that shifts responsibility for health from systems to individuals

  • The measurable impacts of commercial determinants on health inequities across different socioeconomic groups and geographic regions


Some Takeaways:

  • Understanding the commercial determinants of health is essential for addressing root causes of health issues

  • Corporate actors view their customer base very differently than we do, putting a high reliance on ‘super-users’

  • Public health approaches must consider the influence of commercial interests if they are to be successful

  • Transparency about financial interests in healthcare research and policy is crucial for building trust


Where to find Dr Nason Maani


In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Introduction to Dr. Nason Maani

(01:00) Overview of commercial determinants of health

(05:30) The "Money, Power, Health" podcast journey

(10:45) Key themes from "The Commercial Determinants of Health" book

(15:20) Case studies of commercial influence on health policy

(22:15) Strategies for clinicians to navigate commercial pressures

(28:40) Global variations in commercial determinants

(34:10) Future directions for research and advocacy

(40:25) Practical tools for identifying commercial bias

(49:19) Closing thoughts and resources


Referenced:

Contact information:

If you have any feedback, questions or if you'd like to get in touch, reach out at jono@clinicalchangemakers.com

Music Attribution: Music by AudioCoffee from Pixabay