Learning Objectives: Understand how financial ties have influenced marketing of nicotine replacement therapies
Abstract: Objective: Financial ties between pharmaceutical companies that manufacture nicotine replacement therapies and the tobacco industry are a potential conflict of interest. The objective of our research was to investigate the historical relationship between pharmaceutical and tobacco companies and the impact of their corporate financial ties on the development and marketing of nicotine replacement therapies.
METHODS: We conducted a descriptive qualitative analysis of internal tobacco industry documents (n=187) gathered from Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds, Tobacco Institute, and Lorillard document websites between February and June 2001.
RESULTS: The documents describe how corporate diversification allows discreet financial ties between pharmaceutical and tobacco companies. These financial ties have fostered both competition and collaboration between the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries. Financial ties have been maintained between these companies by changing nicotine replacement therapy marketing messages to contain less tobacco control education and to restrict the market for nicotine replacement therapy.
Discussion: Corporate financial conflicts of interest should be disclosed in the interest of public health.
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