Dutch health minister is quizzed about “intensive” contact with tobacco industry
BMJ 2011; 343 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d7137 (Published 03 November 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;343:d7137All rapid responses
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It is important that government officials base their governing
decisions upon rational and scientific principles. If there is a
reasonable debate between two sides on an issue they should be asked to
listen to both sides on an equal basis, examining the opposing science and
arguments while judging the overall societal effects.
Proposal: A study be made of the degree and type of contacts and
support governments have had or gotten from the so-called "pro-smoking"
and "anti-smoking" organizations and advocacy groups over the past five
years and a mandate made for the ratio to be reversed for the coming five
years to correct any uneven playing field that has existed. After that
the ratio should be on a one-to-one basis. This principle could be
applied in other areas as well, e.g. for pro-drug-legalization and anti-
drug-legalization, for pro- and anti-mandated health insurance, and so
forth. If desired, a limitation could be placed to preclude any
government advice-from/contacts-with any individuals or organizations that
have had any financial support, investments etc from Big Tobacco, Big
Pharma, Big Insurance or other financially vested interests or their
"front-group" "charitable" foundations.
Such a correction and assured balance would help ensure that
governmental decisions were made on a fair basis in the future.
Michael J. McFadden,
Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"
Competing interests: Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains" and active member of a number of Free Choice organizations with no compensation or investments involved, present or past. Currently volunteering on the boards of TICAP (The International Coalition Against Prohibitions) and FORCES (Fight Ordinances and Restrictions to Control and Eliminate Smoking), Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator of the Citizens Freedom Alliance / Smokers Club, Director of ISAN and PASAN (Internet/Pennsylvania Smokers Action Networks)
Dutch MoH
I featured in the TV documentary on which this discussion is based.
What was promised to become a neutral report ended up in a tendentious
campaign-like journalism that clearly pleaded against the current Dutch
health policies.
But this is an important and interesting debate: Should policy makers
be in contact with lobbyists from both sides of an issue?
I would think 'yes' but why would a legal industry, like the tobacco
industry, be exempted of this right?
Obviously the anti-smoking lobby thinks that only THEY may be heard.
It's like a predator in a natural habitat requesting the forester to
eliminate all other competing predators so it gets more food. We know what
damage festering species can do when the natural balance is disturbed.
It looks that this is the situation on the Tobacco Control front at
the moment.
Competing interests: President of Forces International and Forces Netherlands, Former secretary of Save the Small Hospitality Business, Special Advisor of Horecaclaim Netherlands and Belgium, Board Member of TICAP.