IQOS Shop Opens in Manila
PMFTC Inc., the Philippines affiliate of Philip Morris International opened the first four IQOS stores planned for the Philippines, and the first such IQOS shops in southeast Asia. All four locations will be in shopping malls in the metro Manila area and will carry PMI’s line of smoke-free products, the devices, heat sticks and a full range of accessories.
“Opening the first IQOS stores in the Philippines is a significant step towards achieving our vision of a smoke-free future," said Denis Gorkun, president, PMFTC Inc. "PMFTC's vision is to help adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke to move away from cigarettes as quickly as possible and switch to a better alternative.”
Recently in the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Philip Morris to market IQOS with a “reduced exposure” claim, the first heated tobacco product to receive such an exposure modification order.
“The US FDA decision shows that IQOS is a fundamentally different tobacco product compared to cigarettes and a better choice for adults who would otherwise continue smoking,” said Gorkun. “We see smoke-free products as an opportunity to reduce the smoking incidence in the Philippines for the benefit of the public health and society at large.”
Meanwhile, Stacey Kenney, operations president, PMI Asia Pacific held a virtual webinar in the Philippines, urging the Philippine government to give weight to FDA’s finding that IQOS heated tobacco product “reduces the production of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals compared to cigarette smoke.” She said that
FDA’s decision supporting IQOS’ “modified risk tobacco product” claim should be a basis of public health policymaking in the country. She explained the FDA decision has effectively differentiated IQOS from combustible cigarettes when it comes to health risk.