Research body used as tobacco tool

Philip Morris documents show control of "independent" ATRF delayed government action for decades 

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A medical conference in Cairns heard today (March 25) how the tobacco industry set up and used an “independent” research foundation to stave off government action against smoking.

A presentation to the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) has heard how the Australian Tobacco Research Foundation (ATRF) was manipulated  to further the tobacco industry’s aim of creating a false controversy over the medical evidence on tobacco - thus gaining decades of government inaction and false reassurance to smokers over the links between smoking and disease.

The misuse of the foundation is the subject of a presentation by Dr Matthew Peters, thoracic physician and Chairman of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) to the TSANZ.

The study of previously secret tobacco industry documents revealed  behind-the-scenes control of the ATRF, set up by the tobacco manufacturers in 1970. The ATRF disbursed more than $9M during the period from 1970 to 1994, when it was renamed  the Smoking and Health Research Foundation. More at  http://www.thoracic.org.au/p192.pdf

“These internal company documents show that despite its claims, the ATRF was not an ‘independent’ research funding instrument, but was closely monitored and possibly controlled by the Legal and Corporate Affairs Department of Philip Morris”, said Dr Peters.

The documents show ATRF funding of “independent” research was used as a negotiating lever with the Federal Government in support of the industry’s attempts to dispute the massive death toll caused by tobacco and to delay consumer health warnings on cigarettes. 

“The tobacco industry used  the ATRF and naïve researchers to delay tobacco control for decades – reforms that could have saved tens of thousands of Australian lives and billions of dollars in health care and lost productivity,” said Dr Peters.

Comment:     Dr Matthew Peters, ASH Chair  ph.  0407-499-440

Media inquiries:     Stafford Sanders      ph. (02) 9334-1823

Page last updated on 25/3/2002