Indian health ministry has asked states to avoid working with Foundation For Smoke Free World
Union health ministry has written to all state governments asking them not to partner with the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW).
FSFW has close links with tobacco giant Philip Morris International Inc. Established in 2017, the FSFW focuses on eliminating usage of cigarettes and works towards smoking cessation using new technologies and alternative products. It says it works independently, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has said there are “clear conflicts” due to the $80 million in annual funding the foundation receives from Philip Morris.
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, which is led by former WHO official Dr. Derek Yach, has said it “operates with complete independence from Philip Morris”
“When it comes to the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, there are a number of clear conflicts of interest involved with a tobacco company funding a purported health foundation, particularly if it promotes sale of tobacco and other products found in that company’s brand portfolio. WHO will not partner with the Foundation. Governments should not partner with the Foundation and the public health community should follow this lead,” World Health Organization had said in a 2017 statement.
At least three Indian anti-tobacco groups earlier this year wrote to the Indian health ministry calling for the rejection of any possible partnerships with FSFW.
The ministry in the letter dated June 24, to chief secretaries of all states, wrote that they should not partner with FSFW and also advised other departments and institutions in their region accordingly.
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, which is led by former WHO official Dr. Derek Yach, has said it “operates with complete independence from Philip Morris” and was committed to full transparency about who its funders were.
Philip Morris, which has a stated longer-term vision to replace cigarette sales with products such as its iQOS device, in a statement said FSFW was “an independent body governed by its own independent Board of Directors”.
