We firmly believe in starting with the consumer, and this is reflected in our commitment to conducting extensive product safety assessments and substantiating the tobacco harm reduction (THR) potential of our next generation products (NGP).
We’ve therefore developed a multi-stage and multi-discipline scientific assessment framework (SAF) for product safety evaluation and assessing THR potential, aligned with guidelines provided by leading global public health authorities and regulators.
It ensures we’re rigorously validating our NGP safety profiles throughout their lifecycles while scientifically assessing their benefits and relative risks compared to cigarettes – focusing on both individuals and wider adult smoking populations.
Results from individual studies within the SAF are important, but in combination they begin to provide a compelling weight of evidence demonstrating the THR potential of our NGP.
We believe the totality of this research, alongside promising new in-market consumer data on adult smoker switching/ retention rates, plus the broader scientific literature, will ultimately confirm our NGP contribute to improved public health outcomes compared to continued smoking.
Meanwhile, our diligent product safety assessment processes ensure we’re delivering quality products to safeguard our consumers.
Find out more about how this multidisciplinary approach allows us to feel confident our NGP have the potential to make a compelling contribution to tobacco harm reduction by exploring the interactive SAF below.
Each subsequent stage of our SAF helps us validate safety profiles, generate the necessary scientific proof points, and build the cumulative evidence base demonstrating the THR potential of our NGP.
We also think the comprehensive scientific assessment of the relative risks of NGP compared to cigarette smoking should form the basis of risk-proportionate evidence-based regulation.
We believe the SAF is a crucial tool to help us build and maintain trust in NGP with consumers, regulators, public health, and the media.
Find out more by watching the video below.
Libby Clarke
Scientific Substantiation & Engagement Lead
