From Our President: Big Tobacco's Insidious Reach

 

It was set to begin at the end of this month: the World Cancer Series Europe, organised by Economist Impact. It was billed as a major event in Brussels, shaping Europe's cancer control agenda and bringing together 80 speakers across more than 30 sessions.

Then, falling like dominoes, prominent speakers and cancer organisations began withdrawing and the event was abruptly cancelled.

The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) explained its withdrawal this way:

This decision stems from the fact that UICC has learned that Economist Impact works with Philip Morris International (PMI) and Japan Tobacco International (JTI). UICC has a longstanding policy of not engaging with the tobacco industry, in alignment with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. This policy reflects our commitment to public health and our dedication to reducing the global burden of cancer.

It should be noted that ECO has never been involved in organising this event or providing speakers or promotion. We concluded long ago that it has nothing to do with the respected Economist publication and that its commercial business model is very different from our own European Cancer Summit, which remains our focus.

Still, the withdrawal of so many organisations in a matter of days was stunning. It revealed the cancer community's growing intolerance of even an indirect association with the tobacco industry.

We like to think we're well aware of the tobacco industry's deceptive tactics and the misinformation that often results. But the tentacles of Big Tobacco stretch far and wide in ever more subtle, insidious ways, and it is up to us to be vigilant.

This latest episode, I believe, suggests the power, and unity, and cohesion within Europe's cancer community in fighting this ubiquitous public health enemy.

It's no longer enough to be aware of the dangers of tobacco or to educate the population on its risks. Together, we must prevent legitimising the tobacco industry by denying them access to any of our activities or tolerating them anywhere near our front door. We cannot allow them to disrupt our cancer prevention efforts by sowing public confusion and compromise.

Some of you may remember that classic Hollywood film 'Network' and the iconic scene of frustrated city residents opening their apartment windows one evening and screaming: 'I'm mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore!' That's how many within the European cancer community feel about the continued, pervasive influence of Big Tobacco. It's taken longer than we had hoped, but gradually our voices are being heard.

With best wishes,

Csaba

Prof. Csaba Dégi

 

Update: Following a public outcry, the Board of the Economist Group announced it was ceasing all relationships with the tobacco industry.

UICC welcomed the decision, saying: "It is an acknowledgement of the Economist’s commitment to global public health and sustainability, and a recognition of the millions of people who lose their life to a tobacco-related cancer or other disease every year.

“We are very encouraged by this shift and look forward to renewing our collaboration with the Economist Group to reduce the incidence of cancer and other non-communicable diseases.”

– Dr Cary Adams, CEO of UICC