Published March 10, 2021, 3:36 PM
Nueva Ecija First District Rep. Estrellita Suansing called “premature” and “deplorable” the Food and Drug Administrations’ (FDA) issuance of the administrative order regulating vapes and heated tobacco products (HTP) amidst unresolved issues raised by stakeholders and the call for a House probe on FDA’s receipt of funds from foreign anti-tobacco group.
Rep. Estrellita Suansing (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Despite the unfinished public consultation on the FDA’s draft guidelines and numerous unresolved matters raised by legislators and stakeholders alike, prompting all three lawmakers present to call for more hearings, the FDA, through the Department of Health, still proceeded to issue their regulations, without any prior notice or resolution. For whatever reason, it’s as if the valid concerns raised were deliberately ignored,” lamented Rep. Suansing.
Published March 3, 2021, 3:00 PM
Consumer groups warned the Philippine government against non-government organizations (NGOs) such as those linked to Bloomberg Philanthropies that were banned by India for providing grants to lobby for local policies.
They issued the statement after India banned more than 14,500 non-government organizations over the past five years, including four groups that received foreign grants from Bloomberg Philanthropies of US financial billionaire Michael Bloomberg which are reportedly involved in tobacco control lobbying.
India canceled the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licenses of these NGOs for reportedly acting against India’s national interests, misreporting donations, and lobbying against an established economic activity which raises multiple economic and social concerns.
(FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Countries around the world need to protect their regulatory agencies from such interference,” Prof. David Sweanor, advisory committee chair of the University of Ottawa Centre for Health Law and Policy in Canada said.
Sweanor made the comment after two congressmen called for a congressional probe on the Philippines FDA’s acceptance of foreign funding from Bloomberg, which promotes an anti-vaping agenda, in a possible breach of the 1987 Constitution and several laws.
It can be recalled that during a public hearing on October 8, 2020 for the drafting of the general guidelines on the regulation of electronic nicotine delivery systems (e-cigarettes) and heated tobacco products, FDA officials admitted receiving funds from The Union and Bloomberg Initiative, international private groups that advocate against all forms of tobacco products, including non-combustible alternatives like e-cigarettes and HTPs.
(FDA/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Dr. Joel L. Nitzkin, a US physician who was cross-trained in public administration, said authorities should look at the filing of a resolution by two Filipino congressmen last month calling for a congressional probe on the Philippines FDA’s acceptance of foreign funding from Bloomberg foundation, an American institution.
“We need to know how much money has been donated, both in dollars and as a percentage of the FDA budget. In addition, we need articulation from both donor and recipient ends as to the intended purpose of this donation. If this is as illicit as it appears to be, the next step would be to challenge this in the Philippine courts, and possibly in American courts,” said Nitzkin.
Published December 29, 2020, 3:00 PM
Consumers and tobacco harm reduction (THR) advocates achieved major gains in the Philippines in 2020 as they moved to correct the misinformation sowed by anti-vaping groups, called on health authorities to respect the rights of adult Filipino smokers to choose better smoke-free alternatives to combustible cigarettes, and uncovered the receipt of foreign funds by the very agency that is supposed to draft the regulation on smoke-free products.
PIXABAY/ MANILA BULLETIN FILE
In February, they launched #SmokeFree4Life, an Asia-wide education and information campaign that urged the World Health Organization and the Department of Health to respect the rights of Filipino consumers to choose better products.