title: Conflict of interest and FCTC implementation in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To critically review the structure of tobacco control policy making in China, examine conflicts of interest within this structure, and consider how these affected the introduction of on-pack warnings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Government policy documents and warning labels were obtained and critically reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Few differences exist between the on-pack warnings formerly used in China and those introduced ostensibly to meet Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) obligations. Comparison with tobacco manufactured for export or overseas consumption shows the new Chinese domestic on-pack warnings are demonstrably inferior to those required internationally. The inherent conflict of interest in the Chinese tobacco control agency structure, which must meet commercial and public health objectives, undermined the introduction of new health warnings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To promote more effective tobacco control policies, the conflict of interest inhibiting the public health function of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) must be removed. Specifically, the public health function must be separated from oversight of commercial production, and packaging must be redesigned with pictorial warnings and messages compliant with Article 11 of the FCTC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Shaojun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoek
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Lanyan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jiushun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Gonghuan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003132:Commerce; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D040861:Ethics, Business; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D011356:Product Labeling / Q000592:standards; D019064:Product Packaging / Q000592:standards*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D019460:Tobacco Industry / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards