No strangers to performance activism, the Truth Initiative is at it again! At a public hearing to discuss ways the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) might improve the effectiveness of its Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC), representatives from the Truth Initiative suggested appointing children! Yes, you read that right. The government advisory committee, which analyzes epidemiological data and translates it into best practices and policy recommendations, may, in the future, be staffed by children.
This was an actual point of discussion at a recent FDA Public Meeting on “Optimizing FDA’s Use of and Processes for Advisory Committees” on June 13, 2024. When called to testify, the Truth Initiative representative confidently proposed that a child representative would be able to offer unique perspectives on tobacco-related issues. For an agency whose war cry is “Follow the science,” something seemed a bit off.
Would the FDA rather have the next TikTok influencer join their board over a scientist or industry leader who can provide meaningful information leading to pragmatic recommendations? If so, then the FDA’s political arm is once again channeling its efforts to sideline its own scientists to satisfy the big money behind anti-tobacco activism. Turning TPSAC into another piece of performance activism with governmental imprimatur would be a shameful waste of taxpayer funds.
According to the FDA:
“[TPSAC] Members and the chair are selected by the commissioner or designee from among individuals knowledgeable in the fields of medicine, medical ethics, science, or technology involving the manufacture, evaluation, or use of tobacco products.”
So, instead of advising the agency on how to better inform the American people and maintain regulated and accountable markets, they’d favor the buzz of a panic-stricken, Greta Thunberg-style Twitter tantrum: “How dare you! Shame on you!”
The ridiculous proposal by the Truth Initiative is a dangerous sign. The activists have already become extremists. Where does that lead the next generation? Will they follow the footsteps of climate extremists, desecrating World Heritage sites while claiming just cause? Will they pack school board meetings to demand the whitewashing of tobacco from history? Will they take down the portraits of founding fathers who smoked?
With cigarette smoking continuing to decline and hundreds of millions of dollars earmarked for anti-tobacco activism, organizations like Truth Initiative are having to get creative in order to cash in. That means they need cooperation from the FDA to not just keep the “crisis” alive but to grow the perception of a crisis, even as rates of tobacco use remain in record decline. This leads to serious concerns about public servants cozying up with well-financed interest groups.
Protect the Public’s Trust, a government watchdog group, recently filed an ethics complaint about a former FDA official, Kathy Crosby, soliciting gifts in the form of tickets to a lavish gala in 2023. The official is now CEO of the Truth Initiative.
– Article contributed by the PCA Government Affairs team. Photo: Adobe Stock.