Philip Morris International (PMI) has announced its support for the UK Government’s plan to simplify the licensing pathway for e-cigarettes and other inhaled nicotine products (NCPs) as medicines in the UK. The company said the move would contribute to the UK’s goal of becoming a smoke-free country by 2030.
According to a statement from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the government will publish a white paper in the coming months proposing a range of measures to encourage smokers to use alternatives such as e-cigarettes and reduce demand for traditional cigarettes. One of these measures is to simplify the licensing process for NCPs, making them easier to prescribe by doctors and delivered by the National Health Service (NHS).
PMI is one of the world’s largest tobacco companies and maker of the IQOS heat-not-burn product. The company said it welcomed the UK government’s plans and believed it was an important milestone that would help speed up the shift for smokers to safer options.
Jacek Olczak, chief executive of PMI, said in a statement: “We applaud the UK government for its openness to science and innovation, and its commitment to delivering a smoke-free future. We believe that by simplifying the licensing pathway for NCPs, the UK will Other countries set an example of how science and technology can be used to improve public health.”
Olczak also said that PMI will continue to work with the UK government, medical institutions and public health organizations to provide scientific evidence on its NCP product and seek to obtain the drug license in the UK. “Our aim is to stop the sale of cigarettes by the end of the century and replace them with better alternatives. We believe this is achievable through collaboration with various stakeholders,” he said.
According to the DHSC, there are around 7 million current smokers in the UK, of whom around 2.8 million use NCP products such as e-cigarettes. The department says NCP products are at least 95 per cent safer than cigarettes and can aid in smoking cessation. The department also said it would continue to monitor the health and social impacts of NCP products and ensure they meet safety and quality standards.
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