WHO warns anti-smoking campaigners not to become too close to drug firm..

APRIL 18, 2011 - WHO warns anti-smoking campaigners not to become too close to drug firms [FREE FULL TEXT]: * BMJ 2011; 342:d2430 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d2430 (Published 14 April 2011) BMJ 2011; 342:d2430

The World Health Organization has warned health professionals working in tobacco control not to become too closely involved with drug companies that produce smoking cessation products.

The warning came last month at a meeting on smoking prevention in Madrid that was hosted by the National Committee to Prevent Smoking, which represents most Spanish anti-tobacco organisations, and which was sponsored by Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and McNeil—all of which make treatments to help smoking cessation.

Armando Peruga, programme manager of WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative, advised health professionals “to be independent and guided by scientific evidence.”

“We have to keep a distance from the tobacco industry, but we also have to maintain some distance from any other industry that can have a commercial interest in this issue,” he said.

“Today the tobacco industry is starting to joke that we have been sold to the pharmaceutical industry, something we must be aware of,” he added.

rEFEENCE: Steer clear of Big Pharma, says... the WHO!/A>
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