Framework for the Public Health Assessment of Electronic Cigarettes.
Thursday, September 15, 2022
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
Banks
E, Martin M, Harris M.
Framework for the Public
Health Assessment of Electronic Cigarettes.
Tob Control. 2022;31(5):608-614. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-056271
Background. Electronic
cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are relatively new products with substantial public
health impacts. Evidence on their effects is diverse and emerging rapidly,
presenting challenges to high-quality policymaking and decision-making. This
paper addresses these challenges by developing and presenting a framework for
the public health assessment of e-cigarettes, using the Australian context as
an example.
Methods. Framework
development involved stakeholder engagement, development of guiding principles,
and consideration of existing relevant frameworks and the evidence requirements
of current policy options, identified in published and grey literature.
Results. Guiding
principles include the need for the framework to: be evidence based; include
consideration of the likely balance of benefits and risks of e-cigarettes,
uncertainty and safety; support equity; support the ongoing application of
evidence to high-quality policy and practice; and consider potential competing
interests. The framework draws upon: health technology assessment; health
impact assessment; environmental health risk assessment; healthcare recommendations
evidence evaluation; consumer goods regulation; medicine and chemical
scheduling; tobacco product evaluation; previous reviews and the precautionary
principle. Final framework components are: (1) characterisation of products
under consideration; (2) definition of populations of interest; (3)
characterisation of tobacco smoking, control and impacts on health and
well-being; (4) review of evidence on patterns of e-cigarette use; (5) review
of evidence on e-cigarette use and health outcomes; (6) assessment of likely
risks, benefits and safety; (7) identification and assessment of policy options
to optimise health outcomes.
Conclusions. Structured
and ongoing public health assessment of e-cigarette use is likely to support
health through enhancing evidence-based decision-making.
|
|
Email to a Friend