WHO urges governments to dismiss PMI’s no-smoking foundation

Earlier this month, one of the world's major tobacco companies announced that it will allocate $1 billion to set up a foundation that will fight smoking. The World Health Organization (WHO), responded by saying that there is a conflict of interest in a tobacco firm funding such research.

Diane Caruana

October 2, 2017

The anti-smoking program in question, called the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, will be funded by the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI), and is set to be launched in 2018. It’s aim is said to be funding research, analysing the impact of smoke-free alternatives, keeping track of progress towards eliminating smoking and also finding ways to help tobacco farmers deal with the reduced need of their crops.

The foundation will be led by former WHO official Derek Yach, who believes that collaboration amongst all parties is needed.

The foundation will be led by Derek Yach, interestingly a former WHO official himself, who was directly involved in the global tobacco treaty. However, last Thursday, the WHO urged governments to reject this initiative and not get involved.

“WHO will not partner with the Foundation. Governments should not partner with the Foundation and the public health community should follow this lead,” said the U.N. body last Thursday.

Dialogue.. not hostility, is needed

In response to this statement, Derek Yach pointed out that in order to combat the current smoking epidemic, dialogue and collaboration is needed rather than hostility.

“I am deeply disappointed, therefore, by WHO’s complete mischaracterisation of the nature, structure and intent of the Foundation in its recent statements — and especially by its admonition to others not to work together,” said Yach.

He added that the foundation will be a non-profit organization devoid of influence from the tobacco industry, and any research it carries out will be peer reviewed.

If you would like to know more about Derek Yach’s attitude towards big tobacco companies, below you can view a brief statement by him in English, during an interview in Vaping Post’s documentary movie, Beyond The Cloud.