The context and quality of evidence used by tobacco interests to oppose ANVISA’s 2012 regulations in Brazil

ABSTRACT

Evidence is an important resource for policy makers. Alongside its practical utility, evidence is a persuasive strategic and rhetorical tool. This study scrutinises the information used by tobacco interests in opposition to Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency’s (ANVISA) 2012 regulations. We analysed one prominent document widely cited in the policy discourse, produced by Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) in 2010 when ANVISA initiated public consultations. The FGV document formed the basis of opposition to the regulations. We conducted four levels of analysis of the FGV document: (1) identifying the main arguments, (2) linking the arguments with evidence, (3) analysing the quality of evidence and (4) a contextual analysis, examining how evidence was interpreted and represented. Three of five arguments were supported by information produced by an external source. Sixty eight percent of evidence sources were supported by the tobacco industry and only 31% were peer-reviewed. Information was often misrepresented in the arguments. Tobacco interests continue to draw from sources they claim are scientific to legitimise their opposition to tobacco regulation. The information from these sources are often misrepresented, used to distract from the health objectives of policy and receive direct or indirect support from the tobacco industry.

KEYWORDS:

• Tobacco industry
• health policy
• tobacco control

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 The business school was ranked number 1 by eduniversal, a Paris-based global ranking and rating agency (http://www.eduniversal-ranking.com/business-school-university-ranking-in-brazil.html), and FGV was the only Latin American university ranked in the top 100 in a survey of CEOs across 10 countries conducted by the New York Times in 2011 (http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2011/10/20/education/20iht-SReducEmploy20-graphic.html?ref=education).

Additional information

Funding

Lencucha holds a Research Scholar Award from les Fonds de recherché du Québec – Santé (FRQ-S).