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POLITO: Does updated tobacco treatment "Guideline" reflect sham science? 

It appears that pharmaceutical influence continues to own official U.S. smoking cessation policy. According to an advance agenda, the newest U.S. policy pronouncement will be unveiled Wednesday, May 7, at 9 a.m. in room 3C at AMA headquarters located at 515 North State Street, Chicago. The revision panel's controversial chairman, Dr. Michael C. Fiore, whose significant financial ties to the pharmaceutical quit smoking product industry made front-page ethics news in the Wall Street Journal on February 7, 2007, is scheduled to summarize "findings and recommendations" from the 2008 update of the U.S. Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence.

According to an advance summary, as in 2000, Dr. Fiore will reveal that it is the Guideline's recommendation that, with few exceptions, "clinicians should encourage" pharmaceutical quitting product "use by all patients attempting to quit smoking." While this cessation quitting method monopoly will generate billions in pharmaceutical industry profits, does it serve public health?

Sadly, what should and could have been a national resource and treasure in helping teach physicians what is not taught in most medical schools, how to effectively counsel patient's to quit smoking, is instead little more than a glorified pharmaceutical quitting product guide and sales advertisement. . . .

An advance copy of Wednesday's recommendations indicates that recommendations 3, 6 and 7 will combine to continue to effectively destroy the legitimacy and prevent government backing of any and all non-pharmacology quitting programs, programs relying upon education, counseling, skills development, motivation and/or support.

While the May 2008 Guideline strongly encourages "counseling" it refuses to allow it unless accompanied by "medication." This is not a question of scientific study evidence. It is a question of policy, policy gone astray. . . .

Wednesday is a golden opportunity for health journalists to at last ask the tough questions. But will they? With roughly 40% of U.S. smokers making a serious quitting attempt during 2008, with the latest cure - Chantix - asking smokers to assume risk of death, with decline in the U.S. smoking rate having ground to a halt, those addicted to smoking nicotine deserve answers. But will they get them? Below are a few questions deserving of answers:

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