Wednesday, March 29, 2023
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home Business Biz Plus

Consumers threaten FDA with graft charges

Manila Standard BusinessbyManila Standard Business
October 20, 2020, 8:15 pm
in Biz Plus
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

The Food and Drugs Administration continued to face backlash from stakeholders who threatened to file graft charges before the Ombudsman following the regulatory agency’s alleged admission of receiving funds from foreign vested interest groups.

The FDA conducted virtual public consultations on the general guidelines for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products on Oct. 6 and 8, 2020, where a ranking FDA official claimed the agency received grants from The Union and Bloomberg Initiative after questioning from Nueva Ecija Rep. Estrellita Suansing, who noted the potential conflict of interest.

The public consultation described by some stakeholders as “moro-moro” was suspended upon the request of Deputy House Speaker Deogracias Victor Savellano, who moved to conduct a full-blown House of Representatives investigation on the FDA.

Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines president Anton Israel said “if the FDA ignores the views of legitimate and impacted stakeholders and proceeds with the adoption of an administrative order lifted from the playbook of their anti-tobacco patrons, we would be constrained to file an anti-graft case with the Ombudsman.”

Philippine representative to the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates Clarisse Virgino said they were “shocked and aghast by the admission of the FDA that they received money from the Union and Bloomberg Initiative. These groups are known advocates of prohibition for all forms of tobacco products including better alternatives to cigarettes like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Philippine E-Cigarette Industry Association president Joey Dulay said during the last FDA public hearing that, “we are saddened to hear that the proposed FDA Guidelines on the regulation of vapor products was based on the recommendations of only the public health NGOs, we [vapers and industry] are the ones most affected with these guidelines and should be heard and considered also.”

“Upon questioning by Congress representatives present in the hearing, it came out that the FDA has been receiving financial grants of Bloomberg, basing guidelines on medical NGO’s who are known anti-vapor groups, shows partiality. We would like to humbly request FDA for a more fair and impartial conduct of the drafting of the guidelines. That is all we ask, so we may work things together hand in hand please,” Dulay said.

Virgino reminded the FDA that the solicitation or acceptance of gifts is prohibited under Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, especially if it involves a piece of regulation.

“Section 7 of RA 6713 prohibits public officials and employees from soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office. It is clear that funds received from anti-vaping groups would jeopardize FDA’s treatment of tobacco harm reduction products such as e-cigarettes and HTPs,” she said.

FDA’s acceptance of the grant is a clear case of conflict of interest driven solely by financial considerations, according to Israel. “We know this government is uncompromising with corruption and President Duterte will not tolerate this abuse of authority,” he said.

Virgino said the FDA as a regulatory agency should be an independent body free from influence of any foreign or local institution that tries to push their own interests.

“It is supposed to safeguard public health, and not become a subordinate to moneyed foreign groups,” she said.

“It comes now as no surprise that the administrative order drafted by the FDA, if adopted, would virtually constitute a de-facto ban on vapes and HTPs,” Virginio said.

“The FDA agenda is crystal clear. For the 16 million Filipino smokers, the only option is to quit or die. To the 1 million vapers, go back to smoking cigarettes,” she said.

“This is the height of irresponsibility for a government agency when we all know there are options for those who can’t quit cigarettes,” Israel said.

He said that “without better alternatives to cigarettes, smokers are only presented with the choice—quit or die.”

Israel said that as a vaper, “If the FDA restricts vaping products, I would definitely go back exclusively to cigarettes.”

Tags: e-cigarettesFDAFood and Drugs Administrationgraft chargesheated tobacco products
ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Standard Business

Manila Standard Business

Related Posts

SVB collapse ‘textbook case of mismanagement,’ says top Fed official

byAFP
March 28, 2023, 6:50 pm
0
8
SVB collapse ‘textbook case of mismanagement,’ says top Fed official

WASHINGTON, United States—The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank was a “textbook case of mismanagement” which requires tougher banking regulation, according...

Read more

Crypto giant Binance charged with breaking trade rules

byAFP
March 28, 2023, 6:40 pm
0
8
Banaag assumes post as Bright Kindle director

WASHINGTON—A top US markets regulator on Monday charged cryptocurrency giant Binance and its founder Changpeng Zhao with multiple violations, in...

Read more

‘Glaze’ software to protect art from copycat AI

byAFP
March 28, 2023, 6:35 pm
0
8
Banaag assumes post as Bright Kindle director

SAN FRANCISCO, United States—Researchers at the University of Chicago have released free “Glaze” software that they say can thwart efforts...

Read more

BIR chief launches RAFT program, declares war against syndicate using ghost receipts

byManila Standard Business
March 27, 2023, 8:45 pm
0
8
BIR commissioner Lumagui calls on Vape traders to comply with BIR, DTI requirements

Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. declared a war against all those who profit from propagating a culture...

Read more

MREIT adds four office buildings worth P5.3b

byJenniffer B. Austria
March 27, 2023, 8:25 pm
0
8
Megaworld’s REIT unit set to purchase more assets

MREIT Inc., the real estate investment trust company of Megaworld Corp., said Monday the Securities and Exchange Commission approved its...

Read more

First Citizens acquiring loans, assets, deposits of collapsed SVB

byAFP
March 27, 2023, 8:10 pm
0
8
Banaag assumes post as Bright Kindle director

Washington—US bank First Citizens said Monday it agreed to purchase much of Silicon Valley Bank, whose collapse this month sparked...

Read more

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • Sneakers for Makati : AB4.0
  • PBBM cuts PH line with ICC
  • Marcos greets Digong, vows to continue ‘good work’
  • Gov’t eyes new pension rules of uniformed staff
  • Satellite captures traces of long oil slick in Verde Island Passage
  • CAAP: 2m Holy Week air travelers
  • Empowering Voices: A celebration of women’s month, women achievement
  • Getting to know the empowered lady legislators of VisMin

Advertisement

Latest News

CAAP: 2m Holy Week air travelers

byJoel E. Zurbano
March 29, 2023, 12:30 am
0
8
Pope, Marcos pay tribute to Benedict XVI

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is anticipating two million air travelers going to and from various provinces starting...

Read more

Empowering Voices: A celebration of women’s month, women achievement

byPeter Paul Duran
March 29, 2023, 12:25 am
0
8
Getting to know the empowered lady legislators of VisMin

The “Empowering Voices” special series featured tenured female legislators from different regions of the Philippines, including the National Capital Region,...

Read more

Getting to know the empowered lady legislators of VisMin

byPatricia Taculao
March 29, 2023, 12:20 am
0
8
Getting to know the empowered lady legislators of VisMin

Although several hundred miles away from the country’s capital, the regions in Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region,...

Read more

Rising tension in East Asia

byManila Standard
March 29, 2023, 12:15 am
0
8
Rising tension in East Asia

Nerves are rising yet again in East Asia after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast...

Read more

40th National Book Awards finalists announced; Palanca Awards news

byJenny Ortuoste
March 29, 2023, 12:10 am
0
8

"The NBA is an annual prize that honors the best book titles written, designed, and published in the Philippines." As...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Technology
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • MS ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Pets
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App