Complaint against Phillip Morris
• Anti-tobacco campaigners take issue with education events for doctors
The National Council Against Smoking (NCAS) has laid a complaint with the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) over tobacco giant Phillip Morris International’s (PMI) sponsorship of medical education for doctors.
All healthcare professionals registered in SA are required to stay up to date by completing continuing professional development (CPD) events provided by organisations accredited by the HPCSA. These sessions are often sponsored by healthcare companies such as pharmaceutical manufacturers.
On April 18 the NCAS wrote to the HPCSA, asking it to investigate the alleged sponsorship of a CPD event held by Alliance of SA Independent Practitioners Association (ASAIPA) by PMI, and to withdraw the points accredited to doctors if it found this was the case. The event took place in November, as the National Council of Provinces was considering tough new tobacco control laws.
It said PMI’s sponsorship of CPD events was in breach of the Tobacco Products Control Act, which prohibits the sponsorship of events by tobacco companies.
PMI is seeking to reduce its reliance on cigarettes by shifting to heated tobacco devices and other non-traditional products such as nicotine pouches.
Sales of its heated tobacco product, IQOS, now rival sales of its biggest cigarette brand, Marlboro. It said its “heat not burn” products, which contain tobacco heated to a lower temperature than combustible cigarettes, were less harmful because they were smoke free.
But critics worry about the long-term health effects of newgeneration products and say there is insufficient evidence that they are safe.
“The HPCSA could not possibly allow any accreditation of an event that is not legal,” said Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry director Lekan Ayo-Yusuf, who wrote the letter to the HPCSA on behalf of NCAS.
“If it was aware that this is about heated tobacco products, then it would be criminal to accredit it.”
The letter was signed by more than 50 organisations and dozens of individuals working in public health.
Since heated tobacco products had not been authorised by SA’s medicines regulator, they should not be prescribed by doctors, he said.
“No matter how you feel about it, you can’t prescribe something that is not approved. It’s just not ethical,” he said.
NCAS has asked the HPCSA to investigate whether any other CPD events organised by ASAIPA have been sponsored by tobacco companies and publish guidelines making it clear that any entity linked to the tobacco companies could not sponsor CPD events.
The HPCSA did not proactively scrutinise the sponsorship of the CPD events provided by accredited service providers but investigated complaints brought before it, said HPCSA registrar Magome Masike.
He declined to comment on the specifics of the NCAS’s letter, saying he had not yet had time to consider it.
ASAIPA did not answer Business Day’s questions but said in a statement that it had included harm reduction “as a featured topic” on its calendar in response to requests from its members.
“Our goal is to provide comprehensive care for patients who smoke, including harm reduction options, cessation support and education on the risks of tobacco,” it said.
The content of all CPD webinars was reviewed by its CPD committee to ensure that no products were promoted during the educational sessions, and that the information provided was based on clinical data and evidence, it said.
“ASAIPA takes these concerns seriously and will conduct a thorough review of our sponsorship and involvement with PMI to ensure our actions align with our mission and values.”
PMI directed Business Day to a video recording in which its vice-president for global scientific engagement, Gizelle Baker, defended the provision of certified medical education.
“Whether it is the device industry, pharmaceuticals or us, it is important that somebody is funding the information. If PMI doesn’t fund it, nothing happens and doctors are misinformed,” she said.
“It’s not about teaching about our products, it’s about teaching about smoke-free alternatives, products that don’t combust tobacco, that can help adult smokers move away from smoking,” she said.