Philip Morris International has supported non-smoking programmes around the world ‘to advance its own interests’, say health professionals
The tobacco company Philip Morris has sponsored courses for doctors in multiple countries, in what critics have called a “grotesque” strategy.
Medical education programmes on quitting smoking and harm reduction in South Africa, the Middle East and the US have been supported by Philip Morris International (PMI) or its regional subsidiaries, according to advertising material seen by the Guardian.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said there was a risk that public health efforts could be undermined and called for partnerships of this kind to be banned.
Dr Tess Legg, of the Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath, said sponsoring medical education was part of a “strategy to influence how science is used in medical practice and an attempt to rebuild the industry’s credibility among health professionals”.
That’s been covered by their sponsorship of the American Lung Association since the ‘80s. They provide free nicotine patches to smokers looking to quit. My point about vaping is that they now produce their own form of cessation, so there’s no grounds for the government to get them to sponsor or subsidize a competitor.
America is one country. This is a global issue.
Agreed. In classic American corporate fashion, it’ll take substantial lawsuits to “encourage” big tobacco to get on board.