http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/org/mo.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://writedit.wordpress.com/2008/06/01/vcu-philip-morris-agreement-researched/ http://tobacco.org/news/270458.html Although the NYT has not printed a correction, clarification, editor’s note, retraction, or any other indication that the veracity of Mr. Finder's reporting has been called into question, they did offer, rightly, the opportunity for VCU to respond in the form of a letter to the editor from President Trani. This letter, although more thoughtfully articulated than his prior memo, continues to downplay the real problems of any university engaging in research service agreements and the even greater ethical problems with this particular research service agreement, setting aside the sponsor for now. As part of my commentary on this, I disclose that I have been sent a copy of the agreement obtained by a third party through a Va FOIA request (details and downloadable PDF below) and will quote verbatim a few critical points omitted by Trani in his letter and overall response to this story. For example, secrecy (from the agreement itself): ”19. Neither party shall, without the prior written approval of the other party, (i) advertise or otherwise publicize in a written manner the existence or terms of this AGREEMENT or any TASK ORDER or any other aspect of the relationship between SPONSOR and VCU … If at any time a third party, including without limitation any news organization, contacts VCU concerning SPONSOR, VCU shall make no comment and shall notify promptly SPONSOR of the third party.” Medical Writing, Editing and Grantsmanship pdlepley@vcu.edu Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://writedit.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/no-need-for-research-of-nicotine-in-pregnancy/ http://tobacco.org/news/270456.html This week, a Richmond paper reports on a VCU proposal for a Center for Healthy Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes submitted in May or June to Philip Morris (despite repeated initial denials by the University) for up to $30M in funding. . . . the reporter’s focus was rightfully whether an academic health center should even be soliciting funds from the tobacco industry for a purely public health project to stop the harmful effects of smoking during pregnancy. At least one outside expert felt unsettled as well: “No reputable organization will accept money from the tobacco industry in the public-health sector, and none will solicit it,” says John F. Banzhaf III, a professor of public interest law at George Washington University, and a tobacco industry opponent for more than 40 years. Banzhaf is particularly concerned that Strauss’s proposal went looking for the money: “Solicitation is very unusual.” Indeed, even a local business writer and VCU booster in Richmond had concerns with this aspect of the proposal and the manner in which the University handled the request and then the denials of making such a request. There also remain all those statements that seem rather dismissive of the research process made by Strauss, who is an established physician scientist serving as Dean of the VCU School of Medicine (and by default the “emerging” VCU School of Public Health), which received $56.5M from the NIH in 2007; as Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs for the VCU Health System; and, astonishingly, as PI on: * one P60 Comprehensive Center Grant (P60MD002256-02), . . . Notably, despite his passionate stance that it would be “immoral not to” use tobacco funds for this “noble and unimpeachable” cause, Strauss’s own sponsored programs are bench science, not clinical or public health in design. Nor, given the level of funding requested, does he appear sufficiently noble to donate his time to this “urgent public health service.” Nor, surprisingly, has he seemed to have considered simply asking GlaxoSmithKline to donate the nicotine replacement products (versus asking Philip Morris for cash with which to purchase them). Then again, his stated lack of desire to publish this work – “His goal with the pregnancy center is not to study the effects of nicotine replacement therapy on pregnant women and publish the results, he says” – could finally explain why VCU so willingly gives Philip Morris the right to control publication of research conducted under their previously secret agreement uncovered by the NYT last May. (see also this explanation of how Philip Morris finagled this and the IP giveaway plus a downloadable copy of the actual agreement, which remains fully in effect) . . . Next Town Hall Meeting to discuss the relationship between VCU and Philip Morris (including Dr. Strauss's center proposal) will be held Wednesday, September 3 from 4-6 p.m. in the Student Commons Theatre September 3 Town Hall Meeting Participant Handout (to submit written comments anonymously) September 3 Town Hall Meeting Agenda This has not been announced on the VCU Calendar as of today (8/25), despite having been scheduled in July. Please spread the word since VCU does not intend to. More details on the Town Hall Meeting and the Task Force itself are available, as is a detailed review of the terms of the master research services agreement currently in effect between VCU and Philip Morris (uncovered by the NYT in May 2008). Sign the petition expressing concern about the relationship between VCU AND Philip Morris USA Medical Writing, Editing and Grantsmanship Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080828/altria_group_dividend.html?.v=1 http://tobacco.org/news/270452.html AP Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://media.www.commonwealthtimes.com/media/storage/paper634/news/2008/08/28/Opinion/Vcu-Philip.Morris.Deal.Strange.But.usual-3407323.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/270437.html To be honest, the first I heard of the article was when I received President Eugene P. Trani's e-mail as he attempted to nullify the situation May 9-the morning after the article ran in The New York Times. Obviously, I did not understand fully the e-mail, which stated The New York Times printed "information taken out of context." However, even after doing my research, I still am very confused. . . . it strikes me as hilarious that, for a school doing massive PR to keep students away from dreaded cigarettes, Trani is so cavalier about the situation; he plainly stated that "research service agreements are not that unusual in higher education." Well, that's true, but accepting funds from a tobacco conglomerate and having to keep silent about it - unless permission is granted from that company - is very strange, to say the least. Even though the original article appeared about three months ago, this is still a relevant issue; VCU students deserve to know where school funding comes from and where our money goes. I am grateful I go to a school that does have the money to afford such great resources, but this is a situation where the line between acceptable funding and inappropriate funding is more than a little blurry. The Commonwealth Times Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/search.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-08-16-0137.html http://tobacco.org/news/270421.html As college presidents go, Eugene Trani made an outstanding mayor. Trani, who announced Thursday that he's stepping down as president of Virginia Commonwealth University in July, was the rarest of local commodities -- a true visionary. Not sharing that vision could be hazardous to your professional health if you were his subordinate. And if you lived in an adjacent neighborhood, Tranivision could be seen as a steamroller intent on pancaking preservation in the name of progress. Trani, 68, is an empire builder. . . . Any mayor with Trani's body of work -- from the Monroe Park campus to the medical center to the biotechnology research park to VCU's global outreach -- would probably puff up with pride and say the only way to go from here is governor. . . . Trani has long had detractors among the VCU academic family. But the discontent spilled outside the university community and onto the pages of The New York Times, which wrote unflatteringly about VCU's research relationship with tobacco king Philip Morris USA. Richmond Times-Dispatch mwilliams@timesdispatch.com (MICHAEL PAUL WILLIAMS TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST) Sat, 16 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/search.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-08-18-0167.html http://tobacco.org/news/270420.html Eugene P. Trani's announcement last week that he will step down as president next summer for health reasons adds another dimension to decisions facing VCU's board of visitors. The board will meet Wednesday and Thursday as it works to resolve the fallout from what Trani has termed "a summer of challenges." The controversies erupted almost simultaneously. Research grants from Philip Morris USA brought negative national attention to the university. . . . The faculty senate will meet Sept. 2 . . . The next day, a task force appointed by Trani will hold a second town hall-style meeting to hear student and faculty views on whether the university has compromised its integrity as a public health institution by accepting research money from companies such as tobacco giant Philip Morris. Richmond Times-Dispatch kkapsidelis@timesdispatch.com (KARIN KAPSIDELIS TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER) Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=129465 http://tobacco.org/news/270399.html Philip Morris announced Wednesday that it had backed out of its sponsorship of the much-awaited, one-night-only Eraserheads reunion concert on Saturday. . . . Gomez gave no reason for its sponsorship withdrawal, but the move was reached after the Department of Health and tobacco control advocates accused the multinational cigarette firm that its sponsorship was a violation of Republic Act 9211 or Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003. . . . "I have a warning to the tobacco company. If we are able to prove that this concert is actually sponsored by you, Philip Morris, definitely we will train our guns on you for violating the law," Padilla announced at a press conference August 17 at the World Health Organization headquarters in Manila. ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation newsfeedback@abs-cbn.com Philippines Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/8/23/business/1849973&sec=business http://tobacco.org/news/270370.html Cigarette makers can raise a hue and cry about sin taxes but they know that a rise in taxes is inevitable this or next year but the bigger issue at hand is how to curb the growing illicit trade of cigarettes in the country. What these cigarette makers want is stronger enforcement to stop the sales of cigarettes where no duty is paid as this is hurting their market share. "Whichever way the industry goes, nothing much changes without a full scale enforcement,'' Philip Morris director for Malaysia IIwoo Chong said in an interview. British American Tobacco Malaysia managing director Jack Bowles shares the same sentiments. . . . Cigarette companies are appealing for gradual annual increases to fight the rise in illicit trade. They have experienced sharp declines in their sales and that also means lower tax revenue for the Government. The Star Malaysia Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=17518 http://tobacco.org/news/270361.html It's buried in a funding proposal floated by Virginia Commonwealth University to create a new health center for pregnant women: Research shows that nicotine entering the bloodstream of pregnant women enrolled in smoking-cessation programs improves the health of their unborn children. Indeed, in the annals of tobacco-related research there isn't a consensus on the effects of nicotine patches and cessation therapy during pregnancy. The lack of consensus, though, isn't what goads critics. It's that the nicotine replacement claim is part of a funding proposal that VCU recently shopped to Altria, parent company of Philip Morris USA. The proposal is at the heart of the uproar over VCU's research partnership with Philip Morris. Style Weekly Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=17482 http://tobacco.org/news/270360.html Virginia Commonwealth University officials have repeatedly denied the existence of a proposal to create a women's health center funded by Philip Morris USA, but a draft copy of the proposal shows the idea did -- and in some iteration still does -- exist. A copy of a working paper titled "Proposal to Create the VCU Center for Health Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes," obtained by Style Weekly, shows plans for a center focused on treatment and research into preventing defects, early birth and mortality. The proposal touches on a smoking cessation program to prevent "chronic disease resulting from smoking-related pregnancy complications." Amid the controversy swirling around the university's relationship with Philip Morris USA, which has cooperated in and paid for tobacco-related research on campus, the health-center proposal offers an unusual twist. In part, the memo obtained by Style reveals a plan for how VCU could solicit money from Philip Morris. . . . "This was a proposal that the dean of medicine shopped with Philip Morris," says a medical school faculty member, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Since all this has broken, [Strauss] has said [in meetings] that Philip Morris did not accept it or they did not fund it." . . . David DeBiasi, director of advocacy with the American Lung Association of Virginia, is also aware of the proposal. He says he was "pretty concerned" by Macrina's denial of the proposal's existence. Style Weekly Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/tobacco-firms-kept-quiet-on--polonium-role-in-cigarettes-907194.html http://tobacco.org/news/270350.html Some of the world's biggest tobacco firms researched the lethal radioactive substance polonium - present in cigarettes - over a 40-year period but never published the results, according to a new scientific article. Experts have examined more than 1,500 internal documents from tobacco companies. Polonium 210 is known to cause lung cancers in animals and studies suggest it is responsible for 1 per cent of all lung cancers - equivalent to 11,700 deaths globally - each year in the US. It is also the substance that poisoned the Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006. Yet tobacco companies, while attempting but failing to remove the substance from their products, have kept quiet about their research, experts say. One of the documents - all of which were made public through legal actions - said publication would be "waking a sleeping giant". The authors of the article, published in the September edition of American Journal of Public Health, also say tobacco companies feared possible litigation. The Independent Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.theage.com.au/national/ill-man-sues-tobacco-giant-20080822-40e4.html http://tobacco.org/news/270302.html TERRY Gottlieb says he was 13 when he started smoking Marlboro cigarettes. Now the emphysema sufferer, 58, is suing tobacco giant Philip Morris, claiming it knew its cigarettes could cause serious injury, but failed to warn him. In his statement of claim before the County Court, Terry John Gottlieb, representing himself, alleged Philip Morris knew smoking could cause serious medical problems such as emphysema but withheld this information from consumers. The Ballarat resident, who used an inhaler several times in court yesterday, also claimed the company failed to make him aware of the irreversible lung damage caused by smoking and the addictive effect of nicotine. He alleged that when he started smoking he thought he was smoking a tobacco product, "not chemicals and poisons". . . . In its response to his claim for an undisclosed sum, lawyers for the company said that at the relevant time it had been common knowledge that smoking cigarettes could cause serious disease, and were difficult to quit. . . . "Cigarette smoking has not at all relevant times satisfied the criteria applied from time to time by scientists and medical practitioners in order to conclude the activity is addictive." . . . Judge Susan Cohen adjourned the matter to October and ordered Mr Gottlieb to pay the costs of Philip Morris for yesterday because he had not provided documents that she had requested. The Age scoop@theage.com.au (Miki Perkins ) Australia Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.jcnews.com/pages/full_story?page_label=home&id=181265-Keep-Jones-Beautiful-takes-on-cigarette-butt-litter&article-Keep-Jones-Beautiful-takes-on-cigarette-butt-litter%20=&widget=push&instance=home_news_bullets&open=& http://tobacco.org/news/270211.html Since 2002, Keep America Beautiful and Philip Morris USA have implemented programs aimed at reducing cigarette litter throughout the nation. According to the Philip Morris Web site, participating communities in the United States number 180, and as of 2007, cigarette litter was down in the targeted areas by 54 percent. Recently, Keep Jones Beautiful Commission Director Judy Webb applied for a grant from the cigarette litter prevention program sponsored by Keep America Beautiful and funded by Philip Morris. Jones County News Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://seekingalpha.com/article/88456-altria-group-inc-q2-2008-earnings-call?page=-1 http://tobacco.org/news/270184.html Executives Clifford B. Fleet - VP, IR David R. Beran - EVP and CFO Analysts Nik Modi - UBS Judy Hong - Goldman Sachs Christine Farkas - Merrill Lynch David Adelman - Morgan Stanley Ann Gurkin - Davenport Filippe Goossens - Credit Suisse Adam Spielman - Citigroup . . . Clifford B. Fleet - Vice President, Investor Relations Good morning, and thank you for joining our call. This morning we will discuss Altria's second quarter 2008 business results. Our remarks contains forward-looking statements and projections of future results and I direct you to the Safe Harbor statement at the end of our earnings release for review of the various factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from projections. As a result of the spin-off of Philip Morris International earlier this year, our reported results reflect PMI as a discontinued operation for the second quarter of 2007. And revenues and operating company's income for PMI are therefore excluded from Altria's continuing results. For a detailed review of Altria second quarter business results, please the earnings release that is available on our website, altria.com. Please note that in this morning's call, we will only be discussing the second quarter business results and we will not be discussing the status of litigation. Seeking Alpha blog network advertising@seekingalpha.com Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://origin.www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/07-562.htm http://tobacco.org/news/270183.html Jul 8 2008 Letter from the Acting Solicitor General received and distributed. Aug 11 2008 Reply of petitioners Altria Group, Inc., et al. filed. (Distributed) Aug 18 2008 Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. Supreme Court of the United States TOlson@gibsondunn.com Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT