IADR, AADOCR issue statement on tobacco research

Research completely or partially funded by tobacco companies will no longer be accepted by the International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (IADR) and the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR).

The organizations are no longer accepting symposia sessions or abstract submissions from tobacco companies, which include those that sell electronic cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and heat-not-burn tobacco products, at IADR or AADOCR meetings, according to a policy statement the associations released on March 22.

The associations made this decision “in light of the tobacco industry’s long history of deception and its ongoing efforts to undermine public health,” according to the statement.

Additionally, papers partially or fully supported by tobacco companies will not be published in the associations’ Journal of Dental Research (JDR) and JDR Clinical & Translational Research. The IADR and AADOCR define support as funding for research personnel, the research study, or publication and/or ancillary charges, according to the statement.

The IADR and AADOCR took this stance due to tobacco companies’ history of using peer-reviewed journals to promote their products and cast doubt on the adverse health effects of tobacco product usage. Furthermore, globally, the tobacco industry lobbies against government regulations that attempt to cut tobacco use, and companies fund research for lobbying strategies to prevent, alter, and push back against public health policies such as marketing, packaging, and point-of-sale restriction to minors, according to IADR and AADOCR.

“By refusing to publish papers or allow conference presentations that are supported by tobacco companies, IADR and AADOCR are protecting public health and promoting the integrity of scientific research,” according to the statement.