A Letter from Jack Straw to the Health Secretary

[Greigster]

Snaffled this from UKV. Sorry it is so small....not sure how I can increase the size. If you have a problen reading it then here is a link for UKV where you can click on each page and expand it, Post 4, here:- ukvapers.org/Thread-Anyone-got-a-copy-of-jack-straws-letter

[ChillerVapes]

Just downloaded and read it. Its a fantastic letter and I hope it shakes a few skulls in parliament.

[DiscoDes]

FAN-BLOOMING-TASTIC!

A good letter from a MP that has serious Poltical "Clout"

I'd love to see Mr Mean reply to that!

[charlie]

Jack Straw is a mighty big parliamentarian, lets hope his weight can be brought to bear on Linda McAvan and Glenis Willmott.

I would also hope Jack Straw gets a better answer to his questions than the response I had to a letter to the health secretary...



www.dropbox.com/s/eufuejwj6j9pumj/JeremyHuntOfficeReplyReMHRAConflictOfInterest11.7.2013.docx


Original letter

Rt Hon Mr Jeremy Hunt


Dear Mr Hunt,

I am writing to request an answer to questions over the way the MHRA decided that the UK will regulate electronic cigarettes as medical devices. I will also send a copy to my MP, Laura Sandys.

Is it possible the committee involved in making this important decision was not comprehensively screened for conflicts of interest? I understand that the following members had declared interests in pharmaceutical companies:

- Chair: Professor Ian V D Weller : Emeritus Professor of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, University College London Medical School. Declared Interests: Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Pfizer, Boehringer , Ingleheim, Gilead, Abbott, Bristol Myers- Squibb, Tibotec. (co-chair of an Oversight Committee which oversees a large programme of research paid for by the companies listed).
- Paul Aveyard: McNeil (Consultancy (NRT)), Pfizer Consultancy (Nicotine vaccines)
- Martin Jarvis: Pfizer (Consultancy fees as Member Varenicline Worldwide Scientific Advisory Board + European Policy Advisory Board)
- Christopher Marriott: Shares in Vectura Limited. Shares in Medpharm Ltd,? Shares in Remedica Ltd, Shares, directorship + fees from Halation Ltd
- Marcus Munafo: Servier (Consultancy), Pfizer Grant (VARENICLINE), Pfizer Grant (Grant (D CYCLOSERINE)

I can forward recent data that shows the exponential use of electronic cigarettes in quitting cigarettes if that is helpful.

Secondly, it appears that this public health decision was based in part on research done by British American Tobacco, a company with a huge financial interest in the outcome of the committee’s deliberations. BAT’s revenues in Western Europe and the Americas fell £256mn in 2012. Morgan Stanley’s tobacco analyst predicts 1.5 billion fewer cigarettes will be sold in 2013, which he puts down to the exponential growth in electronic cigarettes. Clearly a lot of money is at stake.

Is this not in breach of the World Health Organizations clear guidelines on tobacco control: the WHO states that tobacco companies should under no circumstances be involved in public health decisions on the basis that their interests run counter to public health.


Any reassurance you can give that any failings will be investigated and corrected would be very welcome.

I will remain at you disposal should you or your colleagues wish to respond. Please correct me if you think I am misinformed.

[djs]

Fantastic. Good for Jack Straw.

Let's rattle some cages. Go e-cigs!

- - - -

let me quote one good bit

"24. The usual starting point for consumer policy is that, unless
governments have overwhelming safety concerns, consumers should be free
to decide for themselves whether the benefits from consuming a product
outweigh the costs and risks."

15-0 I'd say....new balls?

[lynxkat]

At last, there is light breaking through. Thanks for the post.

[chykensa]

charlie
What a waffle-laden and singularly uninformative reply you received to a well-written and probing letter - very disappointing!!
We need more politicians like Jack Straw to get in amongst the top levels of the Government and rattle those cages. I would be most interested to hear the reply to Mr. Straw's letter!
Andy