Health Agencies in the US, UK, and South Korea Outline Their Views on HNB Products

Heated tobacco (hereinafter referred to as "HNB") is one of the representative products of new tobacco, characterized by a similar taste to real cigarettes, high harm reduction, and minimal impact on the surrounding environment, making it an important area for global research and development. In 2020, the global HNB market was approximately $20.8 billion, with a market penetration rate of 2.4%. It is predicted that by 2025, the market size of HNB will reach $55.3 billion, with a penetration rate of 5.1%.

 

 

In light of the strong development momentum and broad future market prospects, the health departments of the governments of the US, UK, and South Korea have issued corresponding views on such products.

 

 

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

 

The US Food and Drug Administration (hereinafter referred to as "FDA") announced a comprehensive plan for tobacco and nicotine products in 2017, aiming to "strike an appropriate balance between regulating and encouraging the development of new tobacco products that may be less dangerous than cigarettes." In July 2020, the agency approved the marketing authorization for modified risk products, acknowledging the harm reduction potential of Philip Morris International's IQOS system, which is a heated tobacco product and the first nicotine-containing electronic product to receive such marketing authorization.

 

The FDA recognized its harm reduction and acknowledged that the reduction of risks is likely to be confirmed in future research. According to the FDA's press release: "The agency determined that the company demonstrated that IQOS significantly reduces the production of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes because it heats tobacco rather than burning it. Furthermore, research indicates that completely switching from combustible cigarettes to the IQOS heating system can significantly reduce exposure to 15 specific harmful and potentially harmful chemicals.

 

 

 

Public Health England (PHE)

 

Public Health England (hereinafter referred to as "PHE") is the executive agency of the UK Department of Health and Social Care. In February 2018, the fourth such review was published, which for the first time included information on heated tobacco products. By studying Philip Morris's IQOS, British American Tobacco's glo, and Japan Tobacco's Ploom TECH products, key findings regarding heated tobacco products were summarized. PHE found that "compared to cigarette smoke, heated tobacco products may expose users and bystanders to lower levels of particulate matter and harmful and potentially harmful compounds, with varying degrees of reduction found in different studies."

 

 

 

UK Committee on Toxicity (UKCOT)

 

UK Committee on Toxicity (hereinafter referred to as "UKCOT") is an independent scientific committee that provides advice on chemical toxicity issues to the Food Standards Agency, the Department of Health, and other government departments and agencies. UKCOT reviewed existing evidence on Philip Morris's IQOS and British American Tobacco's iFUSE heated tobacco products, concluding that heated tobacco products are still harmful to health but pose lower risks than traditional cigarettes. The agency also stated that "traditional smokers who choose to use heated tobacco products instead of combustible cigarettes can reduce smoking harm."

 

 

 

South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS)

 

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of South Korea (hereinafter referred to as "MFDS") issued a statement regarding heated tobacco products based on its own laboratory measurements of three HNB products, including IQOS. It measured nine harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) as defined by the World Health Organization, as well as nicotine and "tar."

 

MFDS confirmed that compared to cigarettes, HNB products significantly reduce HPHCs, with measured carcinogen levels being over 10 times lower than those in cigarette smoke. Compared to the five best-selling cigarette brands in South Korea, HNB products showed reductions of over 95% for benzo[a]pyrene and over 99% for benzene, two carcinogens. Considering the nine measured HPHCs, HNB products reduced the average levels by over 90% compared to South Korean cigarettes (the five best-selling brands).