Conferência das Partes

A 9ª edição da Conferência das Partes da Convenção-Quadro para o Controle do Tabaco será realizada virtualmente neste ano. O evento mundial já havia sido transferido do ano passado para novembro deste ano, mas em virtude da pandemia, não poderá ser realizado presencialmente. A COP 9, evento de saúde pública que debate medidas para eliminar o consumo de tabaco em todo o mundo, estava programada para ocorrer em Haia, na Holanda.

A 9ª Conferência das Partes (COP 9) da Convenção-Quadro para o Controle do Tabaco terá a apresentação de relatório sobre os novos produtos de tabaco. A elaboração do documento está a cargo da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) e ficou definida durante a oitava edição do evento que ocorreu em Genebra, na Suíça, em 2018. A sessão que ocorreria em novembro deste ano e que foi adiada devido a pandemia está marcada para ocorrer de 08 a 13 de novembro de 2021, em Haia, na Holanda.

Fact sheets with topics considered prominent in order to promote debates and decision-making in the scope of tobacco control. In this edition, the following points are presented: proposal of the Ministry of Justice opposes the Framework Convention; Paraguay to Host Pre-Conference of Parties - COP9; representatives of the tobacco industry seek support from the Ministry of Agriculture; FDA wants new regulation for electronic cigarettes.

Objective: To measure the implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3 at country level using a new Tobacco Industry Interference Index and to report initial results using this index in seven Southeast Asian countries.

Methods: Score sheet based on WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines sent to correspondents in seven Southeast Asian countries, using a scoring system designed with the help of tobacco control experts and validated through focused group discussions.

Results: The seven countries ranked from the lowest level of interference to the highest are Brunei, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Countries that face high levels of unnecessary interaction with the tobacco industry also face high levels of tobacco industry influence in policy development. Most governments do not allow any tobacco industry representatives on their delegation to sessions of the Conference of the Parties or its subsidiary bodies nor accept their sponsorship for delegates, but most governments still accept or endorse offers of assistance from the tobacco industry in implementing tobacco control policies. Most governments also receive tobacco industry contributions (monetary or in kind) or endorse industry corporate social responsibility activities. Governments do not have a procedure for disclosing interactions with the tobacco industry, but Lao PDR, Philippines and Thailand have instituted measures to prevent or reduce industry interference.

Conclusions: This Tobacco Industry Interference Index, based on the WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines, is a useful advocacy tool for identifying both progress and gaps in national efforts at implementing WHO FCTC Article 5.3.