7 Avoiding and managing conflicts of interest with the tobacco industry

The FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines urge all parties to have clear rules regarding conflicts of interest for government officials and employees working in tobacco control. These are important means for protecting such policies from interference by the tobacco industry.

It is important to avoid all real and perceived conflicts of interest with respect to the tobacco industry.

No organisation or individual with a commercial or vested interest in the tobacco industry should be involved in developing or implementing public health and related policies/programs on tobacco control.

The Nordic countries recommend transparency, wherever appropriate, about current, or previous connection, involvement or relationship with the tobacco industry and those working to further its interests, including but not limited to:

• Occupational activity with the tobacco industry, whether gainful or not.
• Any contributions from the tobacco industry, including research funding.