Health advocates have written to U.S. regulators, accusing Philip Morris International (PMI) of misleading conduct in past regulatory decisions in an attempt to block the launch of its flagship heated tobacco device, IQOS, in the United States.
As the world's largest tobacco company by market value, PMI has invested billions of dollars in developing this product, which investors regard as crucial for future growth. However, PMI needs approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to sell the product in the world's second-largest tobacco market.
Six anti-tobacco and health organizations, including the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Lung Association, have written to the FDA opposing PMI's application related to IQOS.
In a letter to the FDA dated June 27, these organizations stated that PMI has repeatedly made misleading and deceptive statements, falsely implying that the FDA believes IQOS reduces the risk of disease.
The advocacy groups accused PMI of violating FDA orders by claiming that IQOS is less risky than traditional cigarettes. They cited examples of such claims made by PMI in the United States, the Philippines, Mexico, and Kazakhstan in their letter.
They also mentioned in the letter that future independent research results contradict PMI's findings on the number of IQOS users who have fully switched to the device.
The presentation materials from these studies come from the International Tobacco Control Project (ITC) at Canada's University of Waterloo and are attached to the letter.
