CASAA Submits Comment in Support of MRTP Application for IQOS

On September 14th, CASAA submitted a comment in support of PMI’s Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) application for their “heat not burn” product, IQOS.

“…there is no doubt that this technology will benefit the health of the population as a whole. IQOS clearly appeals to a significant segment of the smoking population, as illustrated by the fact that more than 3 million smokers worldwide thus far have switched to IQOS.”

The docket for this application will be open for comments from the public until December 12, 2017.

CASAA’s full comment is available here.

If approved, PMI would be allowed to market their IQOS products with the following, truthful claims:

• IQOS system heats tobacco but does not burn it.
• This significantly reduces the production of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals.
• Scientific studies have shown that switching completely from cigarettes to the IQOS system can reduce the risks of tobacco-related diseases.
• Switching completely to IQOS presents less risk of harm than continuing to smoke cigarettes.
• Switching completely from cigarettes to the IQOS system significantly reduces your body’s exposure to harmful and potentially harmful chemicals.

Since being granted regulatory authority over tobacco products in 2009, the FDA has not approved a single MRTP application. In 2014, snus maker Swedish Match submitted a lengthy MRTP application asking to remove specific warning statements from ten of its snus products. In 2016, FDA responded by deferring its decision and is reportedly working with Swedish Match on a path forward. You can read CASAA’s comment here and our review of FDA’s decision here.