Originally published in the New York Times
on September 14th 2020EMBRACINGSCIENCEFOR BETTER:
IF NOT NOW,WHEN?
BY DR. MOIRA GILCHRIST, VICE PRESIDENT STRATEGIC & SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS, PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL

Science shapes so many aspects of everyday life,
sometimes in ways that go unnoticed. The packaged
food we buy, the fabric of our clothes, the cars
we drive—all are available to us today because ofdecades of scientific progress. At the core of thisprogress lies the desire to increase our knowledge
about the world; it is the same curiosity thatenabled us to split atoms, understand the universe,
discover the polio vaccine. There is no doubt thatscience permeates all corners of humanity, so why
is society yet to embrace its fullest potential?
As a scientist, I’ve seen first-hand the incredible
possibilities of science. I know that if we do abetter job at putting science front and center inpolicymaking, business, and everyday life, we canmake significant strides in our collective efforts toaddress our world’s most pressing problems. Yet,I am concerned with the opportunity and time

we have lost—and are losing—by not doing soconsistently.
The conditions to further elevate science andscientific knowledge as a reliable force for goodare ripe. The latest findings from an international
survey—published by Philip Morris International(PMI) in a white paper entitled “In Support of thePrimacy of Science”—confirm that people aroundthe world value science and scientific information.
An emphatic majority, 77 percent of the people
surveyed in 19 countries and territories aroundthe world, are hopeful that advances in sciencecan deliver solutions to society’s biggest problems,
while most of the respondents stated that theywould be influenced by science in how to go about
their everyday life, particularly as it concerns
physical distance– and transportation-related
decisions in the face of COVID-19.

Originally published in the New York Times
on September 14th 2020

77%

OF PEOPLE ARE HOPEFUL THAT ADVANCESIN SCIENCE CAN DELIVER SOLUTIONS TO
SOCIETY’S BIGGEST PROBLEMSSOURCE: PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL WHITE PAPER “IN SUPPORT OF THE PRIMACY OF SCIENCE”, SEPTEMBER 2020

WHAT’S HOLDING US BACK?
First, there is a notable disconnect between theimportance people ascribe to science and how
science is perceived and leveraged by broader
society. What is particularly telling is the gap
between the widespread support for bringing
science into policymaking (84 percent) and the baremajority of 51 percent who rated their government
as doing a good job of ensuring that science andscientific evidence are included in decision-making
processes. Regulators can and should do more tomeet society’s expectations by leveraging facts andthe totality of available evidence to inform theirpolicies. It is equally important that policymakers
debate the data openly and transparently, so thatpeople see and understand how science is shaping
their decisions.
Regulatory frameworks that put science andevidence at the heart of decision-making alreadyexist. One such example is the U.S. FDA Modified
Risk Tobacco Product Application process, whichsets a clear pathway for the assessment of andcommunication about nicotine-containing productsthat can be a better choice for adults who would
otherwise continue to smoke. To be clear, theseproducts are not risk-free and the best choice forsmokers is to quit tobacco and nicotine altogether.
But for people who continue to smoke, thisframework shows how governments can regulate
smoke-free alternatives to differentiate them fromcigarettes in order to promote the public health—an approach that I hope to see considered in othercountries beyond the U.S.
Challenges around people’s access to reliable
scientific information create more impediments
to the primacy of science today. In our survey
results, despite the significant interest in scientificinformation, most respondents (nearly half of thetotal sample) indicated that they find it difficult
to access reliable information about scientificdevelopments and relevant studies. This finding
should concern us. When reliable scientificinformation is in short supply, people may be more
susceptible to misinformation, wild guesses, andhearsay—all of which hinder their ability to makeinformed decisions.
The absence of accurate scientific information
creates the conditions for “junk” or bad scienceto gain prominence. Poorly executed scientificstudies, skewed results shaped by bias, media

Originally published in the New York Times
on September 14th 2020

headlines that misrepresent findings are commonexamples, and they certainly should remain theexception rather than the rule. But even exceptional
cases constitute a major threat, not only because
they can misinform the public, but also because
they weaken people’s trust in science. As a casein point: In the U.S., an August 2020 Gallup poll
showed that one in three Americans would not get
the COVID vaccine if available today, a finding thatshould ring the alarm that a growing number ofAmericans have lost trust because of perceived
politicization of the debate around vaccines andthe science supporting them.
The prospect is gloomy. But with my scientificbackground and experience with scientific progressin the private sector—first in the pharmaceuticalsector and today in PMI with our work to deliver asmoke-free future—I will not lose hope. I’ve seenthat science prevails and that facts and evidence
ultimately become too difficult to ignore. Afterall, science and the scientific community havean incredible ability to self-correct. Peer reviews,independent verification, crowdsourcing, open andcontinued dialogue are just some of the ways ourcommunity examines the evidence and ultimatelyadvances knowledge.
This approach can be leveraged more broadly,
beyond the scientific community. More people canbecome actively involved in creating, implementing,and supporting better science-based policies,
whether as policymakers, opinion leaders, orsimply as citizens. We have great challenges aheadof us—climate change and the novel coronavirus
pandemic, to name just two—so ensuring sciencetakes precedence over ideology, politics, andunsubstantiated beliefs is of pressing importance.
We can only make breakthrough progress if we
remain curious and are willing to change our mind
in the face of new evidence.
Just as the scientific mindset requires.

UNSMOKE YOUR MIND. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. PMI.COM/SCIENCEFIRST