E-drug: New collaboration between Industry and WHO
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It cost me my breakfast this morning, 31 January 1999.
Aftenposten, the leading Norwegian newspaper, had an interview
with Gro Harlem Brundtland (in Norwegian, of course, so far not
avaliable on the Web) (all translations are mine)
Quote
BRUNDTLAND FORGES ALLIANCE IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST TOBACCO
Ingress:
Large pharmaceutical companies will now join the struggle to make
smokers lay off the cigarette, says UN Health chairperson Gro
Harlem Brundtland
By the correspondent Ulf Peter Hellstr�m, Davos
- In 20 years damage caused by tobacco will be the most important
cause of premature death. In UN's health organisation we now will
involve industry in the struggle against the harmful effects of
tobacco.....
[...]
The three companies to be involved in the first round, are Glaxo
Wellcome, Novartis and Pharmacia & Upjohn. They enter into a
project which will be open also to other participants. The
collaboration to combat tobacco-induced health damage will
concentrate on Europe (where 200 million people use tobacco),
Russia, and the new republics of Central Asia.
The Doctors Advice
- The pharmaceutical industry possesses a wealth of knowledge
about this type of dependence, says Harlem Brundtland. -They also
have an array of products that may help inveterate smokers to
quit. The industry also uses great sums for research to increase
their knowledge about the dependence and how to combat it.
- And what is your advice - as physician and UN director - for
people who want to quit smoking?
- If one first has made the decision, one should also learn from
the experience of others. Often the smokers need help. Call it a
mini course. And in additon it shows that quitting is easier if
one takes the assistance of products that can ease the transition
to a smokeless future. This is what we are going to look closer
at in this new collaboration, says Harlem Brundtland.
[...] End quote.
Now the WHO seems set to degenerate into a support act for the
marketing of Nicorette, Nicotinell and Zyban in Europe and the
Newly independent states of the former Soviet Union.
Essential drugs, indeed.
Gaut Gadeholt, MD, PhD
Clinical pharmacologist
Dept of Clinical Chemistry, The National Hospital
N-0027 OSLO, Norway
gaut.gadeholt@labmed.uio.no (w)
Tel +47 22 86 70 80 (w - direct)
gaut@online.no (p)
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