Tobacco control, researchers, clinicians, policy makers and others interested in learning about key controversies in the scientific, public health practice and policy arenas with respect to tobacco. The goal of this session is to highlight ways to productively manage disparate views on key science and policy issues.

Key Points:

1. Strongly held views should not lead to non-productive forms of interaction and undermine progress by diverting attention away from key public health goals.

2. Organizations need to step up collaborations even when their views are not in complete alignment.

3. Issues such as lung cancer screening, FDA regulation, and the balance of resources for basic and clinical research, cessation research and treatment, lung cancer therapy trials, and policy initiatives have over the years continued to represent points of friction.

4. Tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and soon globally requires mass scale cooperation among those dedicated to its eradication.

Learning Objectives:

1. To understand key controversies

2. To become aware of tools to manage them more effectively.

Benefits:

The benefit is to improve the integration among those who are at the forefront of clinical research, cessation treatment, cancer treatment, treatment of other major illnesses, and those who promote policies to enhance primary prevention, early detection and cessation.