Good News -- Or Is It?

[Vocalek]

I received this communique from the FDA:

From: U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2010 14:00:03 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) tobacco Products: Stakeholder Listening Series

FDA Center for tobacco Products To Launch Stakeholder Listening Series

FDA Center for tobacco Products will launch a Stakeholder Listening Series to take full advantage of the knowledge, ideas, feedback, and suggestions from all communities interested in and affected by the Tobacco Control Act. Sessions will take place across the U.S. and summaries will be available on www.fda.gov/tobacco. Each session will focus on topics of greatest interest to our primary stakeholder communities and will include presentations by topic experts and the FDA.

Read more at: FDA To Launch Stakeholder Listening Series

So I went to the link and read through their list of "primary stakeholder communities". You go too, and tell me if you think there is a group of stakeholders missing, who might have more of a stake than all the other groups combined.

 

[JerryRM]

Comrade Elaine, it appears to me that they are just organizing their anti-tobacco allies. I doubt if CASAA or any other pro-smoking alternative groups will be included.

Comrade Jerry

 

[thelook]

8-oWOW..JUST...WOW

 

[keyzygirl]

So what do we do?Anything?

 

[StormFinch]

So what do we do?Anything?

We crash their party!!!


Seriously though, wouldn't CASAA qualify as a public advocacy group? I mean, the definition of advocacy group is a group of people working together to promote a cause. I would say we're both public and have a pretty darn good cause!

I would also think that the AAPHP could definitely sink their teeth into this one.

 

[Janetda]

I'm so angry, I'm actually speechless. I really don't know what to say.

 

[Devilooman]

Since they sent you the email is it possible that they are INCLUDING you in one of the groups?

 

[TropicalBob]

We are missing for the simple reason that the FDA does not consider e-smoking as related to tobacco in any way. We use a drug delivery device. We inhale a "new drug." We are not a tobacco product. The FDA has been consistent in that argument.

No, they won't be interested in CASAA.

If "listening" sessions are held for new drugs, we might be invited. But I doubt it.

 

[Janetda]

Well T-Bob, how about including some actual tobacco users? There's a thought!

 

[TropicalBob]

I do think CASAA should be involved. This is not about e-smoking. It's about alternatives and reduced-harm products. CASAA should be a player at these listening sessions.

 

[Vocalek]

Since they sent you the email is it possible that they are INCLUDING you in one of the groups?

Nope. I received the email because I went to the FDA web site and signed up to receive updates about the tobacco program. You can do so, too.

As far as the missing group of stakeholders, I didn't mean e-cigarette users and I didn't mean CASAA.

If the government is making changes to tobacco products, would you not consider that the largest group of stakeholders are those whose lives will be directly affected by any changes made?

I spent years working in the field of information technology. Whenever we were going to create a new computer application or make substantial changes to existing ones, we would get all the stakeholders together to discuss the various needs and from there determine product requirements. The most critical stakeholder group is the users.

Leave the users out and you get a product that really doesn't work right.

 

[Thulium]

Leave the users out and you get a product that really doesn't work right.

It amazes me that something so obviously TRUE even needs to be stated.