Category Research project
  • Expositionsschätzung

Joint Action on Tobacco Control

Project status
Completed
Project start
Oct 2017
Project end
Dec 2020
Acronym
JATC
Department
Chemikalien- und Produktsicherheit
Website
https://jaotc.eu/

Description and Objective

From the official project website (https://jaotc.eu/our-mission/): This JA is a collaborative action between the European Commission and the EU MS to implement an action-oriented initiative based on evidence-based tobacco control policies and implementation at the national, regional or European level with the overarching aim to improve the protection of EU Public Health. - Support the dissemination of information to the target groups - Facilitate the access to data collected through the EU Common Entry Gate (EU CEG) - Monitor and provide support to the tasks of tobacco and e-cigarette products regulation - Assist networking and collaborations between MS laboratories for tobacco products and e-cigarettes evaluation - Support MS in the process of monitoring and updating priority additives - Integrate the JATC1 results into national policies

Result

From the Deliverable of WP1 D1.2 Final Report (https://jaotc.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/D1.2_Final-report.pdf):Major results and key findingsMajor results of the JATC are a collective work of all JATC partners, across multiple WPs and from combined work of many European organisations. In bullet point form the major results of the JATC are as follows:Data sharing across EU-MS: Within the JATC a standard operating procedure (SOP) for data sharing was finalized which was subsequently discussed with EU MS via their expert groups and national regulators and a final data sharing agreement was created. This document set out the rules and regulations for the sharing of data between EU MS, within the context of the JATC. This data sharing agreement is a legal agreement that has been produced for both JATC partners and non-JATC partners and sets out the legal aspects of sharing and handling data for JATC partners and non-JATC partners. This paved the way for the actual sharing of EU-CEG data across EU MS. A total of 19 EU MS and Norway had signed the data sharing agreement and 15 EU MS were able to share data with other EU MS within the context of the JATC.Assessment of tobacco products design and ingredients: In EU-CEG data base there are twelve tobacco products classified as follows: chewing, cigars, cigarettes, cigarillos, herbal, oral, other, nasal, novel tobacco products (NTP), pipes, roll-your-own (RYO) and waterpipes – this data was shared within the JATC and we were able to perform a comprehensive assessment of this data across 12 EU MS. A mapping of ingredients and product design was performed – the first time across multiple EU MS.Assessment of e-cigarette product design: Within the JATC, data across 13 EU MS were assessed with regards to e-liquids. These analyses allowed for the outlining of technical design factors, nicotine content, compliance to the TPD as also a detailed assessment of ingredients from both a quantitive and qualitative perspective. In total over 1,000 unique CAS numbers were identified and a patter of the most frequent ingredients and flavours was noted across the EU MS. E-cigarette reporting sheet: Previous work through an assessment of 8 EU MS Poison Centers and their reported events related to e-cigarettes in 2018-2019 indicated that the lack of a harmonised reporting format was a major weakness in creating an evidence base across the EU. Within the JATC we supported the EU MS in the development of a format for the reporting of information on suspected adverse effects on human health. Two reporting sheets were created. One for adverse events by poison centers and one for economic operators. E-cigarette compliance checklist: Within the JATC we created a checklist that would aid monitoring of e-cigarette product compliance to the TPD Under TPD Art20(1) and including but not limited to Art20(3-4) and implementing act 2016/586. The checklist that was created was “all embracing” meaning that it can be used for all types of businesses (manufacturers, importers, retailers); it can be used by surveillance institutions depending on their delegated functions (scopes of activity); it includes main requirements for product that is placed on the market in order to be fully compliant and is intended to be filled in electronically.SOP for laboratory analyses: The JATC developed a Standard Operating Procedure was developed for measuring analytes in e-liquids. This SOP was implemented in order to collect original analytical data and information about laboratory measurement across labs in Europe. Samples sent to 27 EU and TobLabNet laboratories indicated that the independent laboratories showed a good instrumental capacity, although few laboratories had mass spectrometry analytical capacity. Results indicated that laboratories are able to work on new methods, to adapt the new SOP, and their analytical quality is excellent. EU laboratory collaboration: The JATC was the occasion to start developing communication with other large international initiatives, including GoToLab and WHO TobLabNet. In addition to enhancing these communications, an active network of EU independent laboratories has been created. The SOP that was developed and implemented across laboratories was an opportunity to collaborate, to discuss about methods, samples, training samples and validation samples. The general impression is that there is a need for a European network of laboratories, to share new methods for new analytical challenges coming from new products facing the market. This network showed that EU collaboration is possible, as well as collaboration with international networks, TobLabNet, and Universities.Peer review of priority additives: The new Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) 2014/40/EU strengthens the rules regarding the reporting and composition of tobacco products. In addition to tighten the obligations of manufacturers to report on ingredients contained in tobacco products in general, enhanced reporting obligations apply to 15 priority additives added to cigarettes and roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco by May 2016. For these priority additives, studies were carried out by the industry and were reviewed by a panel of 10 experts and 8 additional panel members and a complete report/assessment was prepared. Identification of flagged additives for further assessment: The JATC provided EU MS and researchers with a list of selected additives that should be considered for further assessment using independent literature. The selection of additives was performed in four parts: Part 1 based on the SCENIHR evaluation from 2016. Part 2 based on an evaluation of EU-CEG data from cigarettes, provided by WP 6. Part 3 is as well based on the evaluation of EU-CEG data from cigarettes, provided by WP6. This evaluation covered Netherlands, France, Belgium, Denmark, and Czech Republic and focused on CMR properties explicitly mentioned in the EU-CEG data set. Part 4 is an overview of substances which are already prohibited for the use in tobacco products in Germany and Hungary. The compilation should encourage other member states to ban these additives in tobacco products or e-liquids as well.
Type of project

Third-party funded project

Research focus

Internationale Zusammenarbeit

Organisational units and partners

Lead specialist group: Produktbeschaffenheit und Nanotechnologie (75)
Contact persons: PDshort foroutside lecturer Dr. Thomas Schulz, Dr. Nadja Mallock-Ohnesorg
External partner: AGES - Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit GmbH, Föderaler Öffentlicher Dienst Volksgesundheit, Sicherheit der Nahrungsmittelkette und Umwelt, Bulgarian National Center of Public Health and Analyses, Zyprisches Gesundheitsministerium, Dänische Behörde für Sicherheitstechnik, Estonian Health Borad, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety , Greek Information Technologies Institute, Semmelweis-Universität, Islandic Directorate of Health, Health Service Executive, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Italian National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health, IT, Latvian Health Inspectorate, Drug, tobacco and alcohol control department, Lithuania, Lithuanian National Public Health Surveillance Laboratory, Maltesisches Gesundheitsministerium, National Institute For Public Health and The Environment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, The Norwegian Medicines Agency , Directorate-General of Health, PT, Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanović Batut" , National Institute of Public Health, Slowenia, Katalanisches Institut für Onkologie, Andalusisches Ministeramt für Gesundheit, The public health agency of Sweden, Department of Health & Social Care, Griechische Thorax-Gesellschaft, Griechische Krebsgesellschaft

Funding body and grant number

Europäische Union
761297

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