The Risk Communication Advisory Committee ( RCAC ) is meeting separately and also jointly with TPSAC. The RCAC meeting focuses on the adverse health impacts of counterfeit drugs; the TPSAC meeting focuses on harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) of legitimate cigarettes.
Why not eliminate the silo effect and spend some time on the adverse health impacts of counterfeit cigarettes?
TPSAC has never addressed this topic notwithstanding public comments supporting their addressing this important public policy issue.
In the attached document CRE delineates the well established public threat to the public in general, and to juveniles in particular, associated with the counterfeit cigarettes.
RCAC and TPSAC are comprised of very talented individuals with a wide range of responsibilities who meet infrequently; FDA management should eliminate the silos which prevent these two advisory committees from addressing an ever increasing public health issue—the adverse health effects associated with counterfeit cigarettes.
