England could be the first country in the world to license E-cigarettes as a medical product for smoking cessation.
The UK government website GOV.UK with the latest policy on E-cigarettes, and it’s inspiring!
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is publishing updated guidance to pave the way for prescribing medicinally licensed E-cigarettes for smokers wishing to quit.
The UK healthcare regulator will work with E-cigarettes manufacturers to assess the safety and effectiveness of the products.
UK officials say the move supports the UK government’s ambition to achieve smoke-free by 2030 and reduce the apparent health disparities in smoking rates.
The UK’s NHS (National Health Service in England) could make provision to use E-cigarettes to help people quit smoking.
The words mean:
The UK officially recommends E-cigarettes as a medical cessation product for people who want to quit smoking. It means that not only is the cessation effect of E-cigarettes recognized from the government level, but it is also implemented in a practical way to support the use of vape products in medical policy.
We guess, after the inclusion of the medical service system, the use of e-cigarettes to quit smoking is not reimbursable?
Health and Social Care Minister Sajid Javid has welcomed the latest developments in the licensing process for E-cigarettes manufacturers.
According to the announcement, E-cigarettes manufacturers can contact the MHRA to submit their products to go through the same regulatory approval process as other drugs offered by the health service.
It could mean that the England has become the first country in the world to license E-cigarettes as a medical product.
It is unclear whether the health service in Scotland and Wales will follow the lead of England in licensing E-cigarettes.
If the MHRA approves the product, clinicians could decide on a case-by-case basis whether it is appropriate to prescribe E-cigarettes to NHS patients to help them quit smoking.
However, non-smokers and children are still firmly advised not to use E-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes contain nicotine and are not risk-free, but expert reviews from the UK and US suggest that regulated E-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking, the statement said. Licensing E-cigarettes for medicinal use must pass more stringent safety checks.
Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of premature death, and although smoking rates in the UK are at historic lows, there are still around 6.1 million smokers in England. There are also marked differences in smoking rates across the country, with rates in Blackpool (23.4%) and Kingston-upon-Hull (22.2%) falling well short of those in more affluent areas such as Richmond upon Thames (8%).
E-cigarettes are the most common aid used by smokers trying to quit in England in 2020. E-cigarettes are very effective for people trying to finish, with 27.2% of smokers using them compared to 18.2% of smokers using nicotine replacement therapy products such as patches and chewing gum.
Some of the highest success rates among people trying to quit were those using E-cigarettes to leave and local smoking cessation services, with up to 68 percent successfully stopping between 2020 and 2021.
Health and Social Care Minister Sajid Javid said.
“This country continues to be a global leader in healthcare, whether it’s our launch of the COVID-19 vaccine that saves lives or our innovative public health initiatives to reduce people’s risk of serious illness.
Opening the door to NHS-mandated licensed E-cigarettes has the potential to address the considerable disparities in smoking rates across the country and help people quit, no matter where they live or what their background is.“
With nearly 64,000 people dying from smoking in England in 2019, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) supports efforts to improve public health and ensure equal health outcomes for communities across the country.
The statement reads that reducing health disparities – including smoking rates – and keeping people healthier for longer is suitable for individuals, families, society, the economy, and the NHS. OHID will work at national, regional, and local levels and with the NHS, academia, the third sector, scientists, researchers, and industry to achieve this overall goal.
The UK government will soon publish a new tobacco control plan to set out a roadmap to a smoke-free England by 2030.
One small step for the UK, one giant leap for the world
The UK has never been disappointed in its push for E-cigarettes. Raising national support for E-cigarettes, Driving E-cigarettes into hospitals, and now recommending E-cigarettes as a medical product to smokers who have quit, undoubtedly a vital move to influence global E-cigarettes regulation.
With the help of the policy, the UK’s e-cigarette market is getting better and better, especially disposable vape, with orders soaring significantly since June.
