Global Experts Warn WHO's Anti-Harm Reduction Stance Undermines World No Tobacco Day
WASHINGTON, May 28, 2025 /CNW/ -- A panel of global tobacco harm reduction experts convened this week to criticize the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Secretariat for undermining the goals of World No Tobacco Day. The group expressed frustration over the WHO's refusal to support harm reduction tools—such as vaping and nicotine pouches—despite growing evidence of their effectiveness in helping smokers quit.
Participants from Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom argued that the WHO's prohibitionist approach is counterproductive, exacerbating smoking-related deaths and fueling black markets.
Martin Cullip, International Fellow at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, said the WHO is ignoring the populations most at risk. "The WHO dismisses adult smokers and vapers, even though adults bear the vast majority of tobacco-related harm," he said. "It's odd to see the organization celebrate bans on products that aren't even made from tobacco."
Pippa Starr, founder of A.L.I.V.E. (Australia, Let's Improve Vaping Education), highlighted Australia's challenges. "Australia has a massive black market and 66 people die daily from smoking-related disease," she said. "These outcomes are tied to WHO-endorsed policies. Rather than reward failed approaches, the WHO should be focused on saving lives."
Kurt Yeo, co-founder of South Africa's Vaping Saved My Life (VSML), criticized the WHO's detachment from on-the-ground realities. "WHO policies are scripted and disconnected," Yeo said. "We need a full range of tools to achieve a smoke-free future. Prohibition has failed in countries like Mexico, India, and Singapore. The WHO isn't facing the real issues."
Reem Ibrahim, Communications Manager at the UK's Institute of Economic Affairs, said the WHO is ignoring the evidence. "Harm reduction works. These products help people quit. But the WHO's strategy blocks access and ultimately harms public health."
Panelists emphasized the contradiction in the WHO's mission: while claiming to reduce tobacco deaths, it continues to oppose safer alternatives proven to help smokers quit.
The group urged the WHO and FCTC to embrace innovation, listen to consumers, and support harm reduction as a legitimate path to ending the global smoking epidemic.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Cision Canada
10 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Protecting Canada's livestock industry with a new vaccine bank Français
OTTAWA ON, /CNW/ - Canada is making significant progress towards the creation of a dedicated foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine bank, which will build on existing protections for the livestock industry and equip producers with another tool to control and eliminate the disease should an outbreak occur. Following a competitive procurement process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, awarded contracts to Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Biogénesis Bagó SA to supply multiple types of vaccine products and develop Canada's first FMD vaccine bank. This FMD vaccine bank complements Canada's current access to vaccines through the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank, ensuring readily available vaccines for Canadian producers. FMD is a highly contagious and severe disease that affects cattle, sheep, swine, and other cloven-hoofed animals. An FMD infection can cause painful blisters that make it hard for animals to eat, walk, and produce milk, leaving them weak and sick. Preparedness efforts, including building a Canadian FMD vaccine bank, are key to protecting Canadian animals and agriculture. Having a ready supply of FMD emergency vaccines will strengthen our ability to respond effectively to an outbreak should one occur. It could also reduce the number of cases and the duration of the outbreaks. Collaboration between Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments along with stakeholders plays a key role in Canada's FMD prevention and preparedness plans. These efforts, combined with Canada's existing strict import requirements, on-farm biosecurity measures, and disease surveillance, continue to protect the health of Canadian animals and the economic prosperity of our producers and farming communities. Quotes "Today's announcement highlights our continued commitment to enhancing Canada's animal disease preparedness and prevention plans. Securing our own supply of FMD emergency vaccines will not only help reduce the spread during a potential outbreak but also help protect the livelihood of Canadian farmers by minimizing the impact on international trade." -Paul MacKinnon, President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency "Establishing a dedicated FMD vaccine bank is a vital tool in safeguarding the health of our livestock, market access and the future of our industry. CFIA's announcement marks a key milestone towards our shared goal of strengthening Canada's preparedness against the threat of foot-and-mouth disease. We will continue to work with governments and stakeholders to ensure Canada has a robust emergency preparedness and prevention strategy against FMD." -Tyler Fulton, President, Canadian Cattle Association "The FMD vaccine bank is an important investment in protecting Canadian livestock and livestock producers from this disease. The federal government's support is further proof the cooperative relationship between government and industry in Canada works for producers and processors from coast to coast. We look forward to continuing this partnership on other challenges together." - René Roy, Chair, Canadian Pork Council "Today's announcement is a welcome and pivotal step towards enhancing existing industry defenses, offering producers another critical tool to minimize the impact and return Canada back to 'FMD-free' status in the event of an outbreak. This is vital for protecting animal health and farm sustainability, contributing to a safe, reliable, and consistent food supply for Canadians." -David Wiens, President, Dairy Farmers of Canada Quick Facts Budget 2023 committed $57.5 million over five years, with $5.6 million ongoing, to the CFIA to establish an FMD vaccine bank for Canada, and to further develop FMD response plans. FMD is considered one of the greatest economic threats to Canadian animal agriculture and the economic impacts in Canada are estimated to between $22B and $75B (in 2025 CAD) depending on the mode of introduction and extent of spread. Canada has been free from FMD since 1952, and strict measures are in place to prevent the disease from entering Canada. FMD is not a public health risk and is not considered a food safety issue. Public Services and Procurement Canada led an open, fair and transparent competitive procurement process to establish the contract for the FMD vaccine bank. Information about the solicitation is available on CanadaBuys. Each day, hard-working CFIA employees—including inspectors, veterinarians and scientists—inspect food for safety risks, protect plants from pests and invasive species, and respond to animal diseases that could threaten Canada's national herd and human health. Guided by science-based decision-making and modern regulations, the Agency works tirelessly to ensure access to safe and healthy food in Canada, and support access to international markets for our high-quality agricultural products. To learn more, visit
Cision Canada
14 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Canada Health Infoway Launches AI Scribe Program: Enrollment Now Open for Primary Care Clinicians Français
TORONTO, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada Health Infoway ("Infoway") is proud to announce the official launch of the AI Scribe Program, a national initiative designed to reduce administrative burden, improve documentation workflows, and support more connected, patient-centered care through the power of artificial intelligence. Enrollment is now open for eligible primary care clinicians across Canada. The program provides up to 10,000 fully funded, one-year licenses for AI-powered documentation tools to support eligible primary care clinicians in delivering more efficient and focused care. Eligible clinicians include family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses in remote communities, and pediatricians providing longitudinal, community-based care. These innovative tools help automate time-consuming tasks such as clinical note-taking, appointment preparation, and follow-up documentation, giving clinicians more time to focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. "The launch of the AI Scribe Program represents a powerful step forward for Canada's healthcare system," said Abhi Kalra, Executive Vice President of Connected Care at Canada Health Infoway. "By enabling clinicians to access AI-powered tools that reduce documentation time, we're not only improving their day-to-day experience, but we're also laying the groundwork for better data quality, improved patient outcomes, and a more connected care journey. AI scribes are just the beginning, and getting this right is key to building a stronger, smarter, and more sustainable health system for the future." Eligible primary care clinicians can now begin the registration process by visiting Infoway's national AI Scribe Program website, selecting their province or territory to determine eligibility and access to the tools available in their area. Program implementation is delivered in close collaboration with provinces and territories, with availability, access, and execution varying by jurisdiction. This ensures the program supports the realities of care delivery across Canada while maintaining alignment with national goals. Announced in May 2025, a pre-qualified group of trusted vendors is available through the program, selected through a rigorous national procurement process based on their ability to meet national standards and unique regional needs, support secure data sharing, meet clinical practice requirements, and align with the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap. The AI Scribe Program supports not only the introduction of a transformative digital solution, but it also signals a broader shift in how Canada equips clinicians with the technology they need to reduce administrative burden, streamline documentation, and deliver more connected, sustainable care. If you are a primary care clinician interested in learning more or participating, visit: A Pathway for AI in Clinical Workflows The AI Scribe Program is the first step in a broader effort to integrate similar technologies into Canada's healthcare system. The AI Scribe Program introduces a maturity model that supports a structured framework for advancing interoperability, progressively enhancing AI scribes' integration with digital health systems. It defines a clear vision for improving data quality and interoperability by aligning AI scribe adoption with pan-Canadian standards, ensuring these tools seamlessly connect within the broader health ecosystem. Future phases aim to explore scalability, incorporate discrete data elements coded to national terminologies, and AI-assisted decision support, ensuring AI-powered tools remain trusted, secure, and effective for Canadian clinicians now and into the future. To learn more about the national AI Scribe Program, please visit us here. If you have questions, please contact us at: [email protected] About Canada Health Infoway At Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) we believe a more connected and collaborative system is a healthier system, and one that leads to better health outcomes for all Canadians. By leveraging digital technologies and innovations, we're working with governments, healthcare organizations, clinicians, and patients to advance connected care across the country. This improves care coordination, empowers patients to have a more active role in managing their health, and equips care providers with information and insights to support better care both at the point of care and throughout their patients' health journey. Most importantly, it modernizes our health care system towards a future with patient-centered care at its heart. We're an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government and accountable to our Board of Directors and Members of the Corporation (Canada's 14 federal, provincial and territorial deputy ministers of health). Infoway is led by a team of seasoned professionals who are specialists in their respective fields, including health care, administration, information technology and privacy. Visit us online at MEDIA INQUIRIES Haley Armstrong Senior Director, Communications and Public Relations Canada Health Infoway 519-939-9549
Cision Canada
15 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Curadev Expands Strategic Collaboration for CRD3874-SI Through MSK Therapeutics Accelerator Program
BOSTON, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ -- Curadev Pharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel immuno-oncology therapeutics, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), a world-leading cancer research and treatment institution, are expanding their collaboration through the MSK Therapeutics Accelerator program to advance the development of Curadev's small-molecule allosteric Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) agonist, CRD3874-SI, to be delivered systemically to patients with advanced/metastatic cancer. The collaboration builds on the ongoing Phase 1a/b dose escalation and expansion clinical trial (NCT06021626) currently underway at MSK for sarcoma and Merkel cell carcinoma patients, and aims to explore the potential of CRD3874-SI in treating additional types of cancer. Through the MSK Therapeutics Accelerator program, MSK will provide Curadev with expertise and institutional resources, including medical, clinical, and regulatory advice, to further the development of CRD3874-SI. This expanded collaboration marks a significant milestone in translating promising STING pathway research into broader clinical application and will be overseen by William Tap, MD, Chief of the Sarcoma Medical Oncology Service at MSK, and Ciara Kelly, MBBCh BAO, Interim Clinical Director of MSK's Sarcoma Oncology Service. Dr. William Tap said, "MSK and its Division of Solid Tumors are excited to co-develop CRD3874-SI, a novel first-in-class allosteric STING agonist, with Curadev. CRD3874-SI has demonstrated an encouraging safety and efficacy profile in a first-in-human study at MSK. CRD3874-SI is moving forward into multiple solid-tumor expansion cohorts, guided by disease specific experts and the support and structure of the MSK Accelerator Program, which is designed to enhance and expedite the development of novel compounds across malignancies. CRD3874-SI has the potential to offer patients a new treatment option with continued innovation and exploration of the benefits of immunotherapy in cancer care." Dr. Arjun Surya, Co-founder and CEO of Curadev, added, "We are encouraged by the early readouts with CRD3874-SI systemic monotherapy from our ongoing clinical trial in patients with treatment refractory cancers at MSK and are honored by the opportunity to deepen our collaboration through the MSK Therapeutics Accelerator program. The research and development collaboration between oncologists at MSK and the inventors of CRD3874-SI at Curadev could become a role model for advancing bench to bedside medicines. MSK's historic leadership position in the development of cancer immunotherapy and the exemplary dedication of the oncologists we work with is inspiring and make it an ideal partner in Curadev's effort to investigate the therapeutic potential of its systemically administered allosteric STING agonist in patients with advanced/metastatic cancer." About Curadev Curadev is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to discovering and developing novel small-molecule therapeutics for treating intractable diseases. Curadev has built an impressive portfolio of discovery research programs using a target-centric approach, innovative screening schemes, and traditional wet-lab chemistry and pharmacology, resulting in patent-protected drug candidates that modulate next-generation drug targets. Curadev Pharma, Inc., the US-based clinical development subsidiary founded in 2021, is currently leading the Phase1/2 trials of STING agonist assets under a US FDA-approved IND application. For more information, visit MSK's Therapeutics Accelerator program is a strategic partnership program between MSK and biotechnology companies to advance novel cancer therapeutics through all stages of drug development. The program brings together innovative healthcare companies with MSK's community of clinical and scientific experts to establish groundbreaking collaborations that can have a tangible impact on the treatment or management of cancer.
