Solons urged to exclude tobacco firms from IAC-T

An antismoking group appealed anew to lawmakers to exclude the tobacco industry from sitting on the Inter-Agency Committee on Tobacco (IAC-T).

In a statement, HealthJustice Philippines stressed that there was a conflict of interest in the Philippine Tobacco Institute’s presence on the IAC-T, which is tasked to implement tobacco control laws.

“There is an inherent conflict of interest in the fact that the PTI, which promotes an industry selling products scientifically proven to cause death and diseases, sits in the very group tasked to protect public health,” said Mary Ann Fernandez-Mendoza, HealthJustice president.

The anti-smoking group appealed to Congress to amend Republic Act No 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003. The said law includes the PTI as a member of the IAC-T. —Julie M. Aurelio