E-cigarette research: Misinterpretation and selective use of evidence guiding regulatory decisions

Evidence-based decisions are necessary in order to tackle public health issues. Policy makers mostly rely on scientists and scientific organizations in order to come up with the best possible regulatory framework for smoking. E-cigarettes have been the focus of intense and conflicting debate over several years, with opposing views about being part of the problem or of the solution. In this presentation, I will focus on how evidence has been misinterpreted and selectively used in order to support statements that e-cigarettes are of similar or higher risk to smoking. Studies have been largely ignored, other studies have been over-emphasized while replication studies have failed to reproduce previous findings that were largely creating a misleading image about the absolute or relative risk of smoking. The presentation will end with a clear message that the totality of evidence should be carefully examined in order to provide balanced and reliable information to smokers and regulators about e-cigarettes, so that personal choices and policies will promote individual and public health.