Daily Doc: PM, Sep 1, 1991: Philip Morris' public health foundation (Europe)
Daily Doc: Philip Morris' public health foundation (Europe)
Title: A STRATEGY FOR EUROPE, FAVOURING A RATIONAL APPROACH TO PUBLIC POLICY-MAKING IN ALL IMPORTANT AREAS:
PM, Sep 1, 1991
Bates #: 2028463298/3304
May 14, 2000
So you're a cigarette company and you develop "scientific information" in favor of your products. Who on Earth would ever take your word for the results of your "science," let alone act on your information? As a tobacco company, you'd be laughed out of the scientific forum and left with zero power to manipulate the public debate, especially in the area of public health. After all, everyone knows tobacco companies lack credibility when it comes to science--and especially in the area of public health...
Well, Philip Morris (PM) had a solution to this little glitch.
To lend a high level of credibility to its scientific "findings," then get the politicians to believe these "findings," then provide those politicians with the political cover to act on these "findings" by creating public policy based tobacco company "science," there was an elegant answer: broaden the corporate imperative from just selling cigarettes to addressing the entire scope of the human condition, and use powerful figures to do it.
In this document, PM's Dr. Helmut Gaisch proposes that PM form a foundation that would become THE definitive scientific and public health authority for all of Europe. PM's scientific Foundation would surpass the authority of even the World Health Organization, and position itself as THE source of information that politicians turn to for advice on question of public health and welfare. PM's foundation would be beyond reproach, bestowed with an extremely prestigious, politician-laden board that would place it "out of reach from lowly political attacks and bestow it with authority."
The Foundation would address "life-style advocacy programmes, questions of preservation of personal dignity, enjoyment of life and freedom of choice...(3) Environmental concerns....with regards to... personal well-being, recreational needs..."
PM's aim was to create a powerful scientific authority that would enable it to manipulate public policy throughout Europe and "achieve a lasting impact on society..."
Incredible but true. Happy Mother's Day from the "mother of all corporate plans" for fooling the world.
CITATION
Title: A STRATEGY FOR EUROPE, FAVOURING A RATIONAL APPROACH TO PUBLIC POLICY-MAKING IN ALL IMPORTANT AREAS:
Type of Document: Report
Author: Gaisch, Helmut - PM Europe
Recipient: N/A
Date: 19910901
Site: Philip Morris document site http://www.pmdocs.com/
Page Count 7
Bates No. 2028463298/3304
URL: http://www.pmdocs.com/getallimg.asp?DOCID=2028463298/3304
Found Using Search Criteria: "WHO and strategy"
QUOTES
The purpose of the project is to draw attention to the fact that political and scientific thinking largely continues according to traditional patterns, whilst reality has changed fundamentally. As individuals, however qualified and respected they may be, have not the necessary weight of scientific and political authority, a scientific body with political anchorage is needed to serve as a source of factual information and its political interpretation.
The essential argument is that, in order to enable politicians to break with the conventional thinking patterns of the past, something visibly new has to be created: a new organisation that provides compelling arguments (solutions).
It should be made clear from the beginning, that, in order to achieve a lasting impact on society, something durable, i.e. and "institution," has to be created.
The proposal is presented in two parts - Part A contains core argumentation...Part B describes an idea for the initiating event to start the project with a bang.
PART A
EUROPEAN INSTITUTE OF INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY WELFARE A PHILIP MORRIS FOUNDATION
...The principal idea is to create a foundation, society or institute whose goal is to become THE scientific authority on a wide range of human concerns, thus putting itself above the WHO, FAO and other organizations ....
The idea is that the Foundation will supersede the WHO and its Agencies as the principal advisor to the European community on a range of issues including public health. The Foundation shall deal with a broad range of human concerns in modern society: Economics: personal income, employment, motivation, standard of living....Health and Welfare: medical care for the young, the working population and the elderly...matters of personal dignity, public health necessities and priorities considering care and enjoyment of life, living with stress, etc., Environmental concerns: balancing ecological necessities against collective economic ambitions, finding new ways to accommodate individual wishes, etc....
IN CONCRETE TERMS THE INSTITUTE SHOULD ISSUE, ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS, ANALYSES OF CURRENT PROBLEM AREAS AND SUGGEST SOLUTIONS EITHER IN THE FORM OF STRATEGIES FOR ACTION OR IN THE FORM OF PLANS FOR INVESTIGATIONS, RESEARCH OR FOR PUBLIC DEBATE.
THE OPENING SALVO SHOULD BE A WORKSHOP...
The title of the Foundation shall be as such as to make it clear that it is concerned with the broadest aspects of human concerns, eg. European Institute of Individual and Community Welfare.
The Foundation shall be formed in analogy to the "ARIA"...model; but include political patronage. --A small nucleus of committed, trusted and capable scientists shall form the executive level of the Foundation... --The Foundation shall sponsor doctoral theses, post-doctoral research and scientific events... --A board of trustees, consisting mainly of active European politicians, shall be established to put the Foundation out of reach from lowly political attacks and bestow it with authority...
...Once the organisation has reached "cruising speed," some five years from now, the cost would run into several million dollars annually...
Initially, PM shall be the driving (and financing) force of the Foundation. PM could do so without prejudicing the Foundation's integrity, provided that there is a political umbrella in the form of powerful patrons... This is the best way for corporate PM to spend research money on a broad range of topics AND to obtain political benefits by the same token.
...the strategy outlined above represents the most direct way, both politically and legally correct, of providing the European Community with factual advice it would be eager to access when carrying out regulatory work...
PART B - EUROPEAN WORKSHOP ON INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY WELFARE ORGANISED BY THE PHILIP MORRIS FOUNDATION
The workshop should be a two to three day event for top-class scientists, patronized by politicians...
...The scope of the analyses and recommended solutions should cover: (1) Economics...
(2) Health and welfare, including considerations of...life-style advocacy programmes, questions of preservation of personal dignity, enjoyment of life and freedom of choice... (3) Environmental concerns....with regards to... personal well-being, recreational needs,...
...Most people disagree with extremist ideologies on any topic and dislike "activists" - However, the public is powerless to deal with self-appointed "experts." The recommendations of this workshop should give politicians the necessary factual basis to re-adjust public policies wherever necessary...
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