Philip Morris International’s US subsidiary has released a white paper stating that US healthcare professionals have serious misconceptions about smoke-free products, with nearly half mistakenly believing that nicotine causes cancer, preventing smokers from receiving scientifically sound harm reduction advice. The report urges the US FDA to promptly communicate information about “smoke-free alternatives” to doctors to help adult smokers quit combustible cigarettes.
Key Points:
- Key Obstacles to Tobacco Control: Philip Morris International’s new white paper reveals that healthcare professionals’ misunderstandings about tobacco harm reduction science hinder smokers from receiving effective guidance.
- Call for Solutions: The FDA must leverage its authority to educate healthcare professionals on harm reduction knowledge, including smoke-free alternatives.
- Data Support: Approximately half of healthcare professionals mistakenly believe nicotine is a carcinogen, and 93% believe the FDA must disseminate information about harm reduction products.
- Real-World Impact: Information gaps may lead smoking patients to miss out on safer alternative options, delaying tobacco control progress.
PMI USA White Paper Addresses Nicotine Knowledge Gaps
According to a PR Newswire report on August 18. Philip Morris International’s U.S. business unit (PMI U.S.) released a new white paper drawing on survey results from healthcare professionals across the U.S., detailing numerous confusions and long-standing misconceptions that prevent many healthcare providers from offering fully informed advice to smoking patients.
Dr. Matthew Holma, Chief Science and Regulatory Strategy Officer at PMI USA, stated:
- “The FDA recognizes the important role that smoke-free alternatives can play in helping adult smokers quit. This has the potential to improve both individual and public health. The next step should be for the agency to share this information with frontline healthcare professionals, who are the most likely point of contact for smokers seeking help to quit.”
This white paper is based on survey results.
A survey commissioned by Philip Morris International USA revealed that too many healthcare professionals are unfamiliar with the scientific knowledge supporting smoke-free products and tobacco harm reduction. This is particularly evident when it comes to nicotine. As the FDA acknowledges, nicotine is not the cause of the most severe health issues associated with smoking, including fatal lung diseases and cancer. The real culprit is the thousands of chemicals contained in tobacco smoke.
This is why eliminating tobacco combustion is a key component of harm reduction. However, nearly half of healthcare professionals—rising to nearly 60% among those treating large numbers of smokers—erroneously believe that nicotine is a carcinogen.
This information gap is having real-world consequences for adult smokers. If they understood the facts, these individuals might be willing to switch to safer alternatives. While completely quitting tobacco and nicotine is the best option for smokers, scientific evidence shows that adults who choose to continue using nicotine can significantly reduce their exposure to harm by switching from traditional cigarettes to FDA-approved smoke-free alternatives.
The white paper concludes: “These are critical messages in the fight to end cigarette harm. The urgent priority is for the FDA to disseminate this information so that healthcare professionals can serve as trusted advisors, providing evidence-based guidance to adult smokers to help them move away from combustible cigarettes.”
The white paper also addresses the lack of awareness among healthcare providers regarding which nicotine products have undergone regulatory review for safety and efficacy. Many providers are unaware that combustible cigarettes are currently the most harmful form of nicotine consumption, and for patients aged 21 and older, FDA-approved smoke-free alternatives are a better choice than continuing to smoke.
Over 90% (93%) of surveyed healthcare professionals believe that if the FDA determines a specific smokeless product poses lower risks for cancer, cardiovascular disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than continuing to smoke. The FDA must communicate this information to them. 95% indicated they would share this information with smoking patients.
Adult nicotine users should be able to consult reliable sources. Including their doctors and the FDA, to learn about better alternatives to cigarettes when they do not intend to quit nicotine entirely, and why these products are better choices.
Additionally, the white paper notes that improving the FDA’s review, approval, and promotion processes for better alternatives available to nicotine users aged 21 and older, while continuing to protect minors from exposure to any nicotine products, would align with public health interests.
In the current situation, the United States lags far behind many other countries in introducing scientifically validated smoke-free products and encouraging adult smokers to use them. As Dr. Tom Price, former Secretary of Health and Human Services and current PMI advisor in the United States, stated: “Science should determine our policies. Unfortunately, from a health perspective, science has not been the driving force behind policies in the tobacco consumption sector, particularly regarding approved smoke-free products.”
