Abstract
The Life Sciences Research Office, Inc. (LSRO), a Bethesda, Maryland-based non-profit organization that provides scientific evaluation, analysis and advice of biomedical research scientists, is evaluating the science base necessary to support claims of reduced risk for tobacco-based "potential reduced exposure products" (PREPs) and identifying areas of research where additional information could contribute to an assessment of reduced risk. If the current state of the science is adequate, LSRO will develop a scientific framework for assessing whether tobacco PREP products are likely to decrease the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for tobacco product users. The aim of the project is to extend the work described in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Clearing the Smoke: Assessing the Science Base for Tobacco Harm Reduction (CTS) by providing further detail on approaches reviewed in CTS and evaluating scientific approaches developed since the IOM report was published in 2001. LSRO has assembled four committees of experts with diverse, relevant backgrounds to advise the project. The Core Committee will evaluate the state of the science within a risk assessment framework for potential reduced risk tobacco products and provide overall guidance for the project. Three satellite committees will review the current state of the science for tobacco product related Biological Effects Assessmeng, Exposure Assessment, and Population Effects and Behavior Assessment. The reports produced by the state-of-the-science review committees will provide the basis for the Core Committee's risk assessment framework. LSRO held an Open Meeting in April, 2005 to solicit public comment on the project and the Core Committee has met five times to date. The state of the science review committees have been meeting over the last several months and summaries of their findings will be forwarded to the Core Committee in early 2006. The project is sponsored by Philip Morris USA.