WHO Condemns Tobacco Industry's Manipulation of Medical Education

WHO News Release (06/12/24)

The World Health Organization (WHO) is stressing the need for transparency and ethical standards in medical training. To stop the spread of biased information that could affect public health efforts, the agency is also backing calls for certification bodies to reject any partnerships with tobacco industries for medical education. To that end, the WHO noted Medscape's recent decision to remove series of accredited medical education courses on smoking cessation that were funded by Philip Morris International. The WHO said governments should enforce comprehensive bans on all types of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and it called on healthcare professionals to be alert for conflicts of interest and efforts to promote consumer products that may encourage nicotine addiction and tobacco control efforts. Additionally, WHO encouraged "healthcare providers and certification bodies to focus on evidence-based education and policies that prioritize public health not commercial interests," a news release noted.

Read More