Irish Thoracic Society Statement Regarding Vectura Acquisition by PMI
The Irish Thoracic Society (ITS) joins with the global respiratory healthcare community1 in condemning the recent acquisition of Vectura, a company which produces devices for inhaled medications, by tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI).
The acquisition raises a number of serious ethical and regulatory issues not least of which is the prospect of a tobacco company further profiting from medicines produced to treat the harm caused by its own products.
The ITS wishes to inform its members of this concerning development and urge caution against potential attempts by Vectura representatives to engage with healthcare professionals in a bid to influence tobacco control policy.
ITS policy in relation to the tobacco industry remains clear and is in line with Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which requires ‘Parties to protect their tobacco control and public health policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry’. ITS membership is not open to those who have, or have had, paid involvement with tobacco industry at any point in the previous 10 years. Any company with links to the tobacco industry will not be admitted for participation (for example as exhibitors) in any conference or meeting of the Irish Thoracic Society.
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