Medscape removes education courses for doctors funded by tobacco giant

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2024-04-30 01:00:05

Company acknowledges “misjudgment” following a BMJ investigation, but medics call for a global ban on industry-funded medical education

Medical education provider Medscape has bowed to pressure and agreed to permanently remove a series of accredited medical education courses on smoking cessation funded by the tobacco industry giant Philip Morris International (PMI), The BMJ and The Examination have found.

The global company has acknowledged its “misjudgment” in a letter to complainants and says it will not accept funding from any organisation affiliated with the tobacco industry in the future. .

The move comes after an investigation by The BMJ revealed the PMI deal and the widespread protests among doctors and academics in reaction to the partnership.

According to an internal Medscape document seen by The BMJ and the Examination, Medscape had planned to deliver 13 programmes under a multi-million dollar deal with PMI - called the "PMI Curriculum" - as well as podcasts and a "TV-like series.”