Unlocking the Power of Real-World Evidence in Tobacco Harm Reduction
As the world grapples with the devastating impact of tobacco smoking, a growing body of research is highlighting the potential of Real-World Evidence (RWE) in Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR). RWE is a strategy to understand the usage and potential benefits or risks of medical products, and its application in THR is gaining momentum.
At the recent Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum (GTNF), a panel of public health experts and medical scientists discussed the critical role of RWE in informing public health decisions governing THR. Professor Riccardo Polosa, founder of the Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction at the University of Catania, emphasized the importance of RWE in measuring impact and safety in real-world conditions, outside the constraints of randomized control trials.
“Real-World Evidence is all about trying to get a grasp of the benefits or risks of a product derived from the analysis of real-world data,” said Professor Polosa. “It confirms what has been shown in randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews, and it’s a useful tool to bolster data from randomized control trials.”
RWE has been used to track cigarette consumption, improve quality of life, lung function, and reduce respiratory exacerbation in people already using electronic cigarettes or heated tobacco products. It has also been used to assess changes in clinical endpoints in people accessing emergency department access in hospitals, and to verify the effectiveness of certain flavors in accelerating quit rates or behavior changes.
Dr. Maria Gogova, vice president and chief scientific officer for Altria Client Services, emphasized the need for a sound scientific approach to realize the full potential of RWE. “The world must be grounded in sound science to understand the benefits of harm reduction options such as e-cigarettes and other non-combustible nicotine products,” she said.
The data is clear: tobacco smoking kills up to half of its users who don’t quit, but switching from combustible tobacco to non-combustible nicotine products could reduce harm for adult smokers unable or unwilling to quit. However, understanding the reasons behind the smoking behavior of different age groups is essential to inform broader tobacco harm reduction strategies.
Gem Le, Director of Behavioural and Clinical Sciences at Juul Labs, acknowledged the challenges of studying humans, particularly in the context of tobacco harm reduction. “Real-world evidence shows that we can’t control people, but we can observe and they can report data to us,” she said. “With that comes a big bucket of data quality challenges and inconsistencies in data collection across different sources.”
Konstantinos Poulas, Associate Professor of Biochemistry in the Department of Pharmacy and Head of the Institute of Research and Innovation, suggested that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be useful in generating real-world evidence regarding THR. “AI can play a multi-factorial role in data collection, pattern evaluation, and personalized interventions,” he said.
As the world continues to grapple with the complex issue of tobacco harm reduction, the importance of RWE cannot be overstated. By harnessing the power of real-world evidence, we can better understand the benefits and risks of harm reduction options, and develop more effective strategies to reduce the devastating impact of tobacco smoking.
