About Altria Moving Beyond Smoking Responsibility Investors People & Careers Media Our Voice & Actions Advancing the Science; Making a Difference Maria Gogova Vice President Chief Scientific Officer Altria Client Services Over the past two decades, we've worked hard to understand the very complex issue of tobacco harm reduction and invested in multiple avenues to find solutions. My role focuses on developing scientific strategies to advance tobacco harm reduction and conducting research for regulatory filings. I'm a physician by training. I joined Altria almost 17 years ago and was hired, specifically, to work on this issue. As a physician, I knew all too well the harm caused by smoking – I had firsthand experience treating the patients who were suffering from smoking-related diseases. I also knew that the best way to avoid harm from smoking is – and has always been – to either never start or quit tobacco all together. But the reality is that not every smoker is either willing to, or can, quit smoking. So, I was motivated to find real solutions for those individuals. V.P. & Chief Scientific Officer of Altria Client Services, Maria Gogova shares on the tobacco harm reduction opportunity with alternative tobacco products. We know that offering products that deliver a satisfying nicotine experience without burning tobacco or inhaling smoke — the primary link to diseases associated with smoking — is the right thing to do. We also know that one size does not fit all. Therefore, providing multiple alternatives, such as heat-not-burn, e-vapor or oral tobacco is necessary to meet the preferences of adult tobacco consumers and support them on their journeys. If we get this right, we can have a significant positive impact on public health and the health of individual smokers. And this is what I was trained to do. We are investing in science to arrive at the right insights, guide product development and generate the data needed to really push the whole field forward. I'm excited by my work, and proud and humbled to work with world-class scientists, engineers, product development and regulatory affairs professionals who come to work every day committed to tobacco harm reduction. I firmly believe that the work that we do today will transform the tobacco industry and will have significant benefits for public health. OUR VALUE CHAIN Collaborating for Retail Access Prevention Solutions Our primary goals are to raise awareness around social source access and drive new retailer behaviors to continue to limit youth access to tobacco products at retail. HARM REDUCTION Driving a Strategy to Support Adult Consumers in Cessation We are re-evaluating our foundation for cessation support, making sure that what we're doing makes sense for the time that we're in. driving a strategy to support adult consumers in cessation HARM REDUCTION Engaging with Policy Makers on the Science of Potentially-Reduced Harm Tobacco Products The issue of tobacco harm reduction and the FDA's regulatory framework for tobacco products is complex. Operating Companies Philip Morris USA U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. John Middleton Helix Innovations LLC Philip Morris Capital Corp. Other Links Submit Your Idea Contact Us Privacy CA Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information Terms of Use © 1999 - 2021 Altria Group, Inc.