The US Drug and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a marketing order for IQOS 3, Philip Morris International’s (PMI) electronic heated tobacco system, as a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP). With this order, the FDA concludes that the modification of the risk exposure of IQOS 3 “is appropriate to promote public health”.
This is the second modified risk marketing order granted to this heated tobacco system, which reaffirms that IQOS is a fundamentally different tobacco product and a better option than the traditional cigarette, for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke.
“At Philip Morris International, we prioritize transparency, inviting policymakers and the scientific community to review and verify our findings. The FDA completed the review of our extensive scientific evidence, as well as independent studies. The findings indicate that switching completely from conventional cigarettes to the IQOS 3 system significantly reduces exposure to harmful or potentially harmful substances”, explains Roberto Yunén, general manager of Philip Morris for the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. Philip Morris has been selling IQOS in the Dominican Republic for almost four years.
“The evidence confirms that IQOS 3 is fundamentally different from cigarettes, because as there is no combustion there is no smoke, which reduces toxic or potentially toxic substances by up to 95%. This is an opportunity for the more than 1,000 million adult smokers in the world who will continue to smoke anyway. For this reason, it is important that they have access to information so that they can make decisions based on scientifically supported data,” adds Yunén.
The system heats the tobacco, instead of burning it
The FDA determined that because the IQOS 3 System heats tobacco and does not burn it, it significantly reduces the production of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals compared to cigarette smoke, which is scientifically proven to be the leading cause of tobacco-related illnesses. with smoking. IQOS 3 and IQOS 2.4 are consolidated as the only electronic inhalable nicotine alternatives authorized by the FDA as modified risk products based on said reduced exposure.
“The FDA decision provides an important example of how governments and public health organizations can regulate smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes to protect and promote public health. In the Dominican Republic, more than 23 thousand adult smokers have chosen this better alternative instead of continuing to smoke”, adds Roberto Yunén.
Philip Morris once again reaffirms its commitment to a smoke-free future, promoting eliminating cigarettes and nicotine completely and forever as the best option. However, public health authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO), estimate that there will still be more than 1 billion smokers in 2025. The challenge is for those adults who would continue to smoke anyway to have adequate information, based on on scientific evidence, so they can switch to better alternatives. According to PMI results in 2021, approximately 21.2 million users in the world have made the change to this best alternative.
