FDA Rejects Request to Remove Tobacco Panelists

Last month, Philip Morris had asked the agency to kick four members off the panel because of conflicts of interest.

May 03, 2010

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will not remove four members of its tobacco advisory panel despite a request from Philip Morris USA, the Wall Street Journal reports. The tobacco company had asked for the change because of what it deemed the panelists?? conflicts of interest.

Altria, parent company of Philip Morris, revealed the application in its quarterly financial report. In its request, Philip Morris pointed out that four members had financial or other conflicts, such as serving as a paid expert witness for plaintiffs in lawsuits against tobacco companies. The agency formed the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee in early March.

In denying the request, the "FDA followed existing law and procedure to recruit the best scientific experts and to ensure that [the panel] has a balanced composition of expertise to handle the many complex tobacco-related issues it will face," its letter read.

Philip Morris and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., also owned by Altria, asked that Neal Benowitz, Gregory Connolly, Jack Henningfield and Jonathan Samet be removed from the panel. The two companies indicated in its letter to the FDA that those panelists had financial conflicts and "irreconcilable biases" that would prevent them from fairly reviewing tobacco products and writing recommendations of those products. These "appointees have pronounced and disqualifying conflicts and biases arising from their active and zealous participation as paid expert witnesses for plaintiffs in lawsuits" that would try to harm the tobacco industry.

However, Altria said that the agency told it all advisory panel members would be looked at for any potential conflicts of interest on panel topics, which might mean some members would be excluded from certain discussions.

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