Dubious research tied to Red Bull has shaped energy drink policy
An investigation details how Red Bull funded academic research to influence public policy and combat regulations on energy drinks. The study highlights the use of industry-funded science to downplay health risks associated with mixing caffeine and alcohol.
Why it matters
The influence of corporate-funded research on public policy raises significant questions about scientific integrity and regulatory independence.
O n a winter morning in a Long Island town about two hours east of New York City’s skyscrapers, a Dutch researcher told local officials that their concerns about mixing heavily caffeinated energy drinks with alcohol were overblown.
A few months earlier, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had effectively banned Four Loko, a caffeinated malt liquor dubbed “blackout in a can” by college students. Suburban Suffolk County was now considering something more sweeping: a ban on selling energy drinks to minors.
Joris Verster, an academic from Utrecht University, said there was no scientific basis for the law. Though booze and energy drinks are often consumed together, Verster argued that beverages like Red Bull aren’t to blame for bad things that happen when people get drunk.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in