Realistic policies sought

The next European Commission should enhance its collaboration with the EU’s Scientific Advisory Mechanism (SAM), which would provide bias-free consultancy and eventually adjust the Tobacco Product Directive to the reality, according to Japan Tobacco International’s Ramunas Macius speaking during an interview with EURACTIV.com.
Macius, the corporate development vice president for reduced-risk products at JTI, was speaking with EURACTIV’s Sarantis Michalopoulos on the sidelines of the Quo vadis, EU evidence-based policy making? Addressing the ‘evidence – policy’ gap event.
Asked whether policymakers could rely on science without considering the public’s view on specific matters, Macius said that scientific experiments had been the driver of human progress.
“And therefore science should be the bedrock of wisdom in all policymaking,” he said.
“In terms of public opinion, policymakers need to peer beyond the noisy campaigners to see how consumers are truly being affected.
“These real-world data points can be just as valuable as results from test tubes.”
The interview is here.