BAT aims to turn e-cigs into medicines in the UK

[johnny10hands]

www.newscientist.com/article/mg21729053.900-tobacco-giant-wants-to-help-you-quit-smoking.html

Looks like they are getting real concerned at the potential loss of revenue. Governments next...

[kibbster]

Well now they show their true colours.
They've got the money to get their shitty e-cigs (and all e-cigs) re-classed as medicine where their competition can't afford to follow.
They obviously want to join big parma in getting their crap handed out by the NHS.

Unfortunately if we are fighting against an "e-cig company" and big parma our job to keep nicotine unregulated has just got harder.

[andym]

I wouldnt be too worried,its going to take a LONG time and a LOT of money.If they want it to be a Liscenced Smoking Cessation Product,they will have to do no end of Clinical Trials.All i can see is that they will get an OTC general release liscense the same as all the other "Look alikes" out there already.

[chykensa]

And I suppose all those Clinical Trials may play into our hands if the results are favourable. I presume that any results will have to be made public?
Andy

[MarkS]

Feb 21, 2013 19:16:14 GMT chykensa said:

And I suppose all those Clinical Trials may play into our hands if the results are favourable. I presume that any results will have to be made public?
Andy

True, but the likes of Pfizer when it comes to pharmaceuticals have been known to be very selective about what bits are made public.

. It is self-evident that corporate involvement in research and education bears great risks as commercial and public interests get blurred.
In addition, Pfizer is among the drug giants who have recently been accused of distorting research for the sake of profits. On Monday 13 September 2001, thirteen of the world's leading medical journals mounted an outspoken attack on the rich and powerful drug companies, accusing them of distorting the results of scientific research for the sake of profits. The Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association and other major journals accused the drug giants of using their money - or the threat of its removal - to tie up academic researchers with legal contracts so that they are unable to report freely and fairly on the results of drug trials.

Ideally, research is supposed to create knowledge that can be used to increase people’s wellbeing (e.g. to dissolve vital problems), or simply to increase our understanding of things. The purpose of education, at least ideally, is to encourage critical enquiry and to open minds to arguments for and against any particular conclusion, rather than close them to any conclusion but one. However, the profit motive is the main driving force behind corporate (funded) research.

source & more here: www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=329

[womble]

I didn't realise ASH had basically come out in favour of ecigs as a harm reduction. I thought they were banging on about it being almost as bad.
Or am I thinking of another org?

[kibbster]

Feb 21, 2013 19:49:12 GMT womble said:

I didn't realise ASH had basically come out in favour of ecigs as a harm reduction. I thought they were banging on about it being almost as bad.
Or am I thinking of another org?

BMA possibly?
Bunch of old boys club dinosaurs.

[Jen]

ASH USA is against them, ASH UK is surprisingly in favour

[kibbster]

Feb 21, 2013 19:56:06 GMT Jen said:

ASH USA is against them, ASH UK is surprisingly in favour

Funny how the country that think guns in everyone's hands is good for public safety but a safer smoking alternative should be banned.

Americans eh...

(not meaning all Americans in my generalisation.. just the stupid ones in ASH USA )

[Jen]

Feb 21, 2013 19:59:13 GMT kibbster said:

Feb 21, 2013 19:56:06 GMT Jen said:

ASH USA is against them, ASH UK is surprisingly in favour

Funny how the country that think guns in everyone's hands is good for public safety but a safer smoking alternative should be banned.

Americans eh...

(not meaning all Americans in my generalisation.. just the stupid ones in ASH USA )

Well absolutely, but the politics around both guns and vaping can hardly be called completely fact-based and rational, can they?

[andym]

MarkS,yes Pfizer has been a bit naughty,but thats in the USA.Between the MHRA and the ABPI,ALL clinical trials must be submitted once completed.However that doesnt stop unfavaourable ones from being terminated.The MHRA are VERY stringent in Clinical Trials and if they dont measure up they will decline the Liscence,and it doesnt take much either.The main problem here i think i getting a study past the Ethics Committee.Its a very fine line between ethical and non ethical trials.Most of the major Drug Companies have been known to "massage" the stats at one time or another.It is a lot tougher in UK believe it or not to get Clinical Trials set up for a product liscense than the US.I do wonder that if they do get the go ahead that they will make much of difference.All they will be are like the ciggy lookalikes already out there,and we all know how good they are!I feel its BAt trying to jump on the band waggon,we have seen celebs toking away on lookalikes etc,and i guess they think they can make money.I think Bona Fide Smoking Cessation products(not drugs like Champix)have had their day really,they have low success rates and need a lot of will power.Vaping i think falls into the "Tobacco Harm Reduction" category and as such is a different kettle of fish.