Last month, the coalition associated with Corporate Accountability International gathered at a nearby elementary school to voice their desire to see TGH sever ties with the fast-food conglomerate. The protest continues amid a national focus on wellness.
“It’s absolutely not a good idea to have the McDonald’s there. Especially in this time of epidemic of diet-related diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease — especially here in Tampa. And having a McDonald’s there sends the false message, with the false health association between McDonalds and a hospital,” Elena Cuadros, a field organizer with CAI, told WMNF.
John Dunn, a spokesperson for Tampa General, told WMNF that the hospital is locked into their contract with McDonald’s until 2023. Mr. Dunn also insisted that the hospital offers a variety of healthy dining options in its food court and that people should be allowed to make their own dietary choices.
Tampa General is not the only hospital under fire for its relationship with fast-food restaurants. An ad campaign run by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine targeted hospitals with Chick-fil-A branches earlier this year.
Other hospitals have decided to end their relationships with the fast-food chain. Cleveland Clinic decided to close the McDonald’s in its food court in September 2015, and Minneapolis-based Abbott Northwestern Hospital announced plans to close it’s food court McDonald’s as well.
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