The Health Research Board had added to its report on e-cigarettes as there have been a couple of Cochran reviews published that differ from the original HRB report.
Speaking about the findings, Dr Jean Long, Head of the HRB Evidence Centre and an author of the paper, says: “Current systematic review evidence on the value of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation shows inconsistent results. This means more high-quality primary evidence is needed before any conclusions can be made on e-cigarettes as a proven, safe and effective intervention to stop smoking“.
This is odd given the finding included;
The incidences of smoking cessation at 24‒26 weeks were comparable between Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) and NRT groups. In Random Control Trials e-cigs were just as effective as NRT,
Yet Dr Long claims results were inconclusive. While we understand the need for good quality research, restricting this to only include RTC’s is short-sighted. As twice as many people have quit smoking using E-cigs as all other cessation aids combined, saying “Current research does affirm that clinician and policy-makers approach to tackling the harms of smoking can be focussed with confidence on regulated interventions, such as NRT and/or varenicline with behavioural interventions, knowing they are well-proven to be safe and effective.” is overlooking the most effective option, the one most appealing to the user. The HRB seem aware of this contradiction as they say themselves “However, the fact that this review and recent Cochrane review have arrived at different conclusions, largely through differences in assumptions around the data included and the overall method of analysis, while both following accepted evidence-synthesis practice, will add to concerns about the role of systematic reviews in supporting decision-making“
Perhaps the HRB should look at this issue from the perspective of what works best for most people, not what works best for people in RTC. Given that most people won’t be taking part in an RTC.
It’s telling that they call for “To better inform policy and clinical practice, future studies of e-cigarettes should be designed with comparator arms that offer participants intense and optimal NRT as well as other more effective smoking cessation interventions.” but not intence and optimal e-cigarette arms. It’s like they want to compare oranges with apples.
Then this; “Policy-makers should act now to ensure that they have fully protected children and young people from the harms of e-cigarettes and the potential to undermine progress in tobacco control through facilitating smoking initiation”
Ahh the old gateway and “Think of the children”
If there was a gateway or any undermining of tobacco control we would see a rise in smoking. We don’t what we are seeing is the fastest fall in smoking rates since tobacco control started. I suspect the HRB has a bias it is unaware of, its own.
The paper is published in The official journal of ENSP, the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention, and can be read here.
New Nicotine Alliance Ireland 