FDA CTP justification for selection of members of Scientific Advisory Committee..

August 17, 2010 -

FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) - Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) advises the Commissioner or designee in discharging responsibilities as they relate to the regulation of tobacco products. (Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC)).

How is a potential advisory committee member screened for conflicts of interests?

What are the qualifications of a scientific member of an advisory committee?

What is a financial conflict of interest waiver?

What is an FDA Advisory Committee?

What is a conflict of interest?

How does an individual become a member of an FDA advisory committee?



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South Korea - study finds higher prices most effective method to discourage smoking..

South Korean Coat-of_Arms..
August 17, 2010 - A study found Monday, August 16th that higher cigarette prices were the most effective method in discouraging Koreans from smoking, prompting a new round of cigarette price disputes.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) analyzed the effects of seven non-smoking policies such as raising prices, restricting tobacco ads and designating non-smoking areas, which were taken between 1995 and 2006. Of the measures, the analysis said, raising prices was much more effective in reducing the smoking rate.

Since the nation’s no-smoking campaign in 1995, the smoking rate of Korean male adults had been decreasing for years. However, the rate began to increase again from 40.9 percent in 2008 to 43.1 percent in 2009. The figure is well over the nation’s 2010 goal of 30 percent and much higher than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 28.4 percent.

The report said that if the cigarette price of 2,500 won (2.13 USD) per pack had been raised by 1,000 won (0.85 USD) back in 2007, the smoking rate could have decreased to 33.9 percent by 2010. If the prices were raised to 8,500 won (7.23 USD), the smoking rate would have dropped rapidly to 30.4 percent in 2010 and to 24.6 percent in 2020, the report added.

The nation’s cigarette price per pack has remained the same for five years since it was set at 2,500 won (2.13 USD) in 2005.

The report pointed out that a lack of strong policy efforts recently has led to the failure in achieving this year’s goal and also predicted the nation’s future smoking rate. According to the report, if cigarette prices increase annually by 500 won (0.43 USD) starting this year, the smoking rate of male adults could fall to 35.5 percent within the year and 33.8 percent next year. The rate would continue to drop to 30.2 percent in 2014, 26 percent in 2019 and 25.3 percent in 2020 when the price per pack becomes 8,000 won(6.81 USD), the report said.

“The nation’s nonsmoking campaign is considered to have been successful. Without a further decrease in its smoking rate, however, Korea would face more social and economic burdens and that could affect the nation’s global competitiveness,” the report said.

“The biggest problem is that the cigarette prices in Korea are lower considering the nation’s economic power. The appropriate price, for now, is estimated at more than 6,000 won (5.11 USD),” the report added.

Reference: ‘Higher cigarette prices reduce smoking rate’ by Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldm.com), The Korea Herald, 8/16/2010.

South Korea - some related news briefs:
South Korea - a new Raison line extension..;
next month enforcement of ban on smoking by taxi drivers..;
South Korea - fines collected for dumping cigarette butts are down.. ;
South Korea - BAT launches new cigarette seems similar to Camel Crush..;
South Korea - rate of male smokers probably higher than any other OECD country..;
South Korea - BAT to further invest in Sacheon factory..;
South Korea - a look at KT&G Corporation with 63% of the market..;
South Korea - streets and parks of Seoul City could be designated as non-smoking areas..;
PMI - slide presentation South Korean Cigarette Market..;
South Korea - KT&G forms alliance with Imperial Tobacco Group..;
South Korea - more smokers in 2009 than in 2008..;
South Korea - remote island going smoke-free, car-free and night lights-free..;
South Korea - Stressed-out Koreans smoking more..;
South Korea - to ban smoking in public places from 2011..;
Korea - BAT - winning the hearts and minds of customers based on tactics tailored to local tastes..;
Korea - sets target to reduce smoking 10% in 5-years..;
Korea - stricter regulation of the tobacco industry coming..;
South Korea - tobacco imports surge 396-fold over 10-years..;
Korea - slight increase in men smoking.. ;
South Korea - anti-tobacco campaign - body painting..;
Korea - smoking ban just about everywhere by end of 2009..;
Tobacco marketing in South Korea has been deliberately aimed at girls and young women..;
Korea - smoking rates fall for men and women...
Read more...

Bulgaria - customs agents find large scale cigarette contraband..

Photo by the Bulgarian Customs Agency..

August 17, 2010 - The Bulgarian Customs agents from the border cross point Kalotina, between Bulgaria and Serbia prevented a large-scale cigarette contraband Monday, August 16th the Customs Agency informs.

Thousands of packs of cigarettes were found in a compartment of the international train traveling from Serbia to Bulgaria. They were hidden in cavities in the compartment’s ceiling and walls. Most packs and boxes have Serbian excise duty labels from the Victory and Vice Roy brands; there are also boxes of Eva Slims without a label and of Marilyn Slims with Duty Free labels.

The compartment had been empty at the time of the check, so the indictment is against a unknown perpetrator. The contraband train scam is preferred and often used by the smugglers precisely because the authorities have a hard time finding them, experts explain.

Reference: Cigarette Contraband Busted on Serbia-Bulgaria Train, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency), 8/16/2010.

Bulgaria - cigarette smuggling news briefs:
Bulgaria - customs intercepts 6-tons of smuggled tobacco headed for Romania..;
Bulgaria - were the cigarettes contraband or not..Moldova says NO..;
Bulgaria - Italian authorities arrest 2-Bulgarians smuggling cigarettes..;
Bulgaria - do producers support contraband cigarettes??;
Bulgaria - illegal trade in cigarettes will reach 40% of total trade in 2010..;
Bulgaria -two cigarette smuggling attempts busted on Serbian border..;
Bulgaria - police busts major cigarette contraband ring..;
Bulgaria - MPs Impose Hefty Fines on Cigarette Sales Violators..;
Bulgaria and others - smoking ban, increased cigarette taxes, smuggling..;
Bulgaria - cigarette contraband, government loses BGN 920M yearly..;
Bulgaria - one third of the tobacco products sold are illicit..;
PMI training Bulgarian custom officers to stop cigarette smuggling..;
WHO FCTC Protocol to Prevent Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products Won't Be Completed Until End of 2010..;
Read more...

Indiana - statewide program offers money to smokers that quit..

August 17, 2010 - An Indiana agency is looking to extinguish smoking statewide. Using money from tobacco company settlements, state health officials will divvy out $5,000 among three Indiana smokers who cut the habit.

The program is called "Quit Now Indiana." To apply, you must have quit after June 1st and remain cigarette free until the end of October. Health officials say that five grand could save the state billions.

"A little over $2 billion is spent in health care costs for smokers and another $2.6 billion is spent in productivity losses. So for the state of Indiana we spend close to $5 billion annually taking care of smokers,” said Jill Sabo of Tobacco Free St. Joseph County.

Learn more: QUIT NOW INDIANA - CONTEST..

Reference: Statewide program offers thousand of dollars to Hoosiers who quit smoking, elise.yahner@wndu.com, WNDU.com, 8/16/2010.

A few Indiana related news briefs:
Indiana - again statewide smoking ban passes house but ban still in doubt..;
Indiana - no statewide smoking ban this year for, "The ash tray of the Midwest"..;
Indiana - weak statewide smoke ban being considered..;
Indianapolis, Indiana - tobacco control people are furious - city used as test market again..;
Elkhart, Indiana - smoking ban stands no exemption for bars..;
Indiana - fire-safe cigarettes - July 1, 2009..;
Children in Indiana starting to use smokless tobacco products..;
Congratulations to the Great State of Indiana..;

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South Korea - a new Raison line extension..

August 17, 2010 - Some smokers may have grown tired of lighting 20 cigarettes with the same taste from a pack. For such consumers, KT&G has come up with a product that includes two groups of cigarettes with different flavors.

KT&G (formerly Korea Tobacco and Ginseng Corporation), the country’s largest tobacco manufacturer, said Monday, August 16th that the company will release the unique item, dubbed the Raison Pop 17+3, starting this Wednesday, August 18th across the country at the price of 2,500 won (2.12 USD) a pack.

The product will include a total of 17 ordinary cigarettes and three convertible ones equipped with versatile filters, which offer multiple flavors. When people click the filters of the three cigarettes, which have green filters, they will convert into menthol-flavored ones. If customers do not like the menthol flavor, they can smoke the three just like a regular cigarette.

KT&G expects that the branded packs will further boost the popularity of the Raison brand. Raison, which debuted in 2002, is one of the top brands of KT&G. In particular, young smokers loved the brand, which was chosen as the top pick among university students three straight years through 2009. The two-in-one cigarettes contain 6 milligrams of tar. (South Korea - a look at KT&G Corporation with 63% of the market..)

British American Tobacco (BAT), a competitor of KT&G, launched a cigarette similar to 3-cigarettes with the special filter in July 2010. (South Korea - BAT launches new cigarette seems similar to Camel Crush..)

Reference: KT&G debuts unique product, The Korea Times, 8/16/2010.

South Korea - some related news briefs:
South Korea - next month enforcement of ban on smoking by taxi drivers..;
South Korea - fines collected for dumping cigarette butts are down.. ;
South Korea - BAT launches new cigarette seems similar to Camel Crush..;
South Korea - rate of male smokers probably higher than any other OECD country..;
South Korea - BAT to further invest in Sacheon factory..;
South Korea - a look at KT&G Corporation with 63% of the market..;
South Korea - streets and parks of Seoul City could be designated as non-smoking areas..;
PMI - slide presentation South Korean Cigarette Market..;
South Korea - KT&G forms alliance with Imperial Tobacco Group..;
South Korea - more smokers in 2009 than in 2008..;
South Korea - remote island going smoke-free, car-free and night lights-free..;
South Korea - Stressed-out Koreans smoking more..;
South Korea - to ban smoking in public places from 2011..;
Korea - BAT - winning the hearts and minds of customers based on tactics tailored to local tastes..;
Korea - sets target to reduce smoking 10% in 5-years..;
Korea - stricter regulation of the tobacco industry coming..;
South Korea - tobacco imports surge 396-fold over 10-years..;
Korea - slight increase in men smoking.. ;
South Korea - anti-tobacco campaign - body painting..;
Korea - smoking ban just about everywhere by end of 2009..;
Tobacco marketing in South Korea has been deliberately aimed at girls and young women..;
Korea - smoking rates fall for men and women...

Read more...