This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
On July 7, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made history by authorizing the marketing of IQOS, an electrically heated tobacco system, as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP). This decision confirms that IQOS is distinctly different from cigarettes because it has been demonstrated to reduce exposure to harmful or potentially harmful chemicals.
According to Philip Morris International, since 2014, millions of smokers around the world have switched from cigarettes to IQOS, a product that is a scientifically substantiated better alternative to conventional cigarette smoking. The FDA found that “the IQOS system heats tobacco but does not burn it,” “this significantly reduces the production of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals,” and “scientific studies have shown that switching completely from conventional cigarettes to the IQOS system significantly reduces your body’s exposure to harmful or potentially harmful chemicals.”
This authorization marks a turning point in the debate on reduced-risk tobacco alternatives. It paves the way for providing consumers with factual information to enable them to make informed choices. It also sets a major regulatory precedent for the tobacco industry, one that leans on scientific evidence.
Essentially, this is expected to enrich the debate around these kinds of products - that are often demonized without objective analysis backed by science. This elevates the contribution of scientific evidence in determining the level of risk of alternative tobacco products, compared to conventional cigarettes.
It is therefore critical that policy and regulation of the industry reflect this. The FDA decision bears lessons for regulatory bodies that have oversight of the tobacco industry in other jurisdictions to consider.
