APPENDIX 13
Letter from the Director European Heart
Network to the Clerk of the Committee (TB 27)
On behalf of the European Heart Network[16](EHN),
allow me to draw the Committee's attention to the annexed extract
of a citizens' petition to the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) calling for full, comprehensive and consistent regulations
of all tobacco products. This petition as well as supplemental
filings to it enjoys the support of numerous US public health
organisations, including the American Lung Association, American
Public Health Association, American Medical Women's Association
and the American Heart Association.
The full petition was filed with the FDA in
January of 1998 and set out a series of issues that needed to
be addressed by the Food and Drug Administration in its on going
efforts to regulate the manufacture, sale, distribution, labelling,
advertising and marketing of tobacco products. As you know, the
US Food and Drug Administration is the lead agency in the United
States in regulating the health and safety of a variety of products
including foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and dietary
supplements. An overwhelming majority of public health organisations
in the US support full FDA regulatory authority over tobacco.
While a decision over FDA's jurisdiction over tobacco products
remains pending before the US Supreme Court, the US petitioners
felt it essential that the FDA in conjunction with the public
health community continue its consideration and investigation
into how tobacco products should be regulated.
FDA has responded to the filing of the petition
indicating that it is reviewing the various issues raised as it
deliberates. A supplemental filing to the January 1998 petition
was made in February of 1998 addressing more thoroughly misleading
and deceptive advertising. We understand that complete copies
of the documents have been submitted to the Health Select Committee.
The EHN believes the Committee should give these
documents serious consideration in its assessment of the options
for improved regulation of tobacco products in the United Kingdom
and, indeed, the European Union.
18 October 1999
16 EHN is a Brussels-based alliance linking
28 national heart foundations and other national non-governmental
organisations committed to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases
(CVD), in particular coronary heart disease and stroke, in 24
countries across Europe. Back
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