check this out !..A free test for electronic cigarettes ?

[dc2k08]

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/p...PA-09-046.html

The Department of Health and Human Services in America has announced a new program to fund the testing of tobacco products that are supposed to reduce harm. eligible candidates who can apply for the grant include small businesses and it looks like foreign parties can apply also.

Purpose. This funding opportunity announcement (FOA), issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), invites applications that propose multidisciplinary research on potential reduced-exposure tobacco products, both smoked and smokeless. The multidisciplinary studies can span basic, biological, behavioral, surveillance, and epidemiology research.

The tobacco industry is currently promoting several new products with claims that they: a) are less either harmful or less addictive; and b) purportedly deliver lower amounts of toxic, carcinogenic, and/or addictive agents to the user compared with conventional products. However, to date, the scientific evidence is insufficient to evaluate whether these new products actually reduce the users’ exposure or risk for tobacco-related diseases.

The overarching goal of this FOA is to determine whether potential reduced-exposure tobacco products provide a truly, less-harmful alternative to conventional tobacco products, both at the individual and population level.

I would say we would have a pretty good chance of getting a grant to pay for some organisation to make a complete independent study of electronic cigarettes using their proposal. All someone needs to do is fill out the application form which i'm sure is fairly meaty. It says the opening date is May 2009

[dflachbart]

The overarching goal of this FOA is to determine whether potential reduced-exposure tobacco products provide a truly, less-harmful alternative to conventional tobacco products, both at the individual and population level.

That does not apply to e-cigs...

[dc2k08]

invites applications that propose multidisciplinary research on potential reduced-exposure tobacco products, both smoked and smokeless

I think an e-cig would have a fairly good chance of getting a grant. They are after all an organisation that is concerned about people's health not some industry with vested interests. I think they would be interested.

[SMILIN]

I like it, like it lot's, look like it time to get proactive baby.

[TropicalBob]

This is clearly aimed at the smokeless tobacco promotions of Big Tobacco: Snus, dissolvables and chew. I doubt these health organizations would consider our little diversion worthy of anything but a ban, but if anyone has the legal backing to try, it would be Janty. It can't be just some reseller looking for publicity.

Also note: These groups are not our friends. This study no doubt hopes to rip apart the harm reduction practices of people like Dr. Brad Rodu.

[dc2k08]

you know, i think there are one or two countries that have classed electronic cigarettes as "smokeless tobacco" like Mexico recently and perhaps Thailand and S. Korea. That would definitely allow an organisation from one of those countries that has, to submit an application for a grant.

Bob, it could go either way, but the application allows you to choose where you want the study done. If we had some college, like I think Kate found, who was willing to do the tests, this grant might fund them and add legitimacy to electronic cigarettes before they are maligned further.

[TropicalBob]

That would be great. We just have to find a friend to find a place to do the study -- and follow through on the details. E-smoking is certainly worthy of study.

[Di]

uni ?

has professors,
chem labs,
guinea pigs, oops I mean students
for test subjects.

Di .....

[dc2k08]

Well that was fast, I downloaded the form and the instructions yesterday in PDF format. The site asked me for my email address so they could notify me of any changes in the form or instructions - I gave it to them as it is a .gov site. Luckily I did. Here's the email I got today:

A grant opportunity you have previously downloaded from Grants.gov has been deleted.

National Institutes of Health will no longer be accepting applications for this opportunity:
Opportunity Number: PA-09-046
Opportunity Title: Testing Tobacco Products Promoted to Reduce Harm (R01)
Competition ID : ADOBE-FORMS-A
Opening Date: 05/05/2009
Closing Date: 05/07/2012


Thank you,
Grants.gov
If you have questions please contact the Grants.gov Contact Center:
support@grants.gov
1-800-518-4726 (M-F 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM ET)

It was only put up yesterday. Why so suddenly ? They put a lot of work into their instructions for completing the form. I mean I was going to have to print it off and read it in my spare time, it was that big. I think I will write to them and ask them why. I just wonder if they'll tell me the truth.

I still have the PDF's if anyone wants to read them.
The link I gave in the OP now serves you a 404.

[TropicalBob]

This does smack of an agenda, but what's on the table, for whom? I guess I'm not as optimistic as you, dc, because I viewed the whole thing as getting a final nail to drive into the harm reduction, smokeless argument. These organizations are quit-or-die people. No friends of ours. This wasn't about e-smoking and I doubt they'd give us a second of time or consideration. But removing the grant opportunity was fast action, to be sure. Someone doesn't want that study!