A Chilling Example? Uruguay, Philip Morris International, and WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
Open accessAbstract
The World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the first international public health treaty to address the global spread of tobacco products. Ethnographic research at the fourth meeting of the FCTC's Conference of the Parties in Uruguay highlights the role of the FCTC in recalibrating the relationship between international trade and investment agreements and those of global public health. Specifically, we chart the origins and development of the Punta del Este Declaration, tabled by Uruguay at the conference, to counter a legal request by Philip Morris International, the world's largest tobacco transnational, for arbitration by the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes over Uruguay's alleged violations of several international trade and investment treaties. We argue that medical anthropologists should give greater consideration to global health governance and diplomacy as a potential counterweight to the ‘politics of resignation’ associated with corporate capitalism.
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Uruguay produced and tabled the Punta del Este Declaration, supported by the FCTC Parties attending the COP except the EU, China and Japan, declaring the rights of sovereign countries to prioritise public health regulations over trade agreements.
“Uruguay produced and tabled the Punta del Este Declaration, supported by the FCTC Parties attending the COP (except the EU, China and Japan), declaring the rights of sovereign countries to prioritise public health regulations over trade agreements.25”
From Defending strong tobacco packaging and labelling regulations in Uruguay: transnational tobacco control network versus Philip Morris International (2018) · cites this paper as [25]
Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe FCTC does not clearly prioritise health over trade, forcing the transnational tobacco control network to adapt and combat emerging pressures of trade on tobacco control.
“The fact that the FCTC does not clearly prioritise health over trade125 forced this network to adapt and combat emerging pressures of trade on tobacco control.”
From Defending strong tobacco packaging and labelling regulations in Uruguay: transnational tobacco control network versus Philip Morris International (2018) · cites this paper as [25]
The Punta del Este Declaration specifically recognised the Parties' concern regarding industry attempts to undermine government tobacco control regulations and Parties' right and commitment to implement the FCTC.
“The declaration specifically recognised the Parties’ concern regarding industry attempts to undermine government tobacco control regulations and Parties’ right and commitment to implement the FCTC.25”
From Defending strong tobacco packaging and labelling regulations in Uruguay: transnational tobacco control network versus Philip Morris International (2018) · cites this paper as [25]
The EU successfully proposed adding the clause, 'provided that such measures are consistent with the TRIPS agreement.'
“The EU successfully proposed adding the clause, ‘provided that such measures are consistent with the TRIPS agreement.’25”
From Defending strong tobacco packaging and labelling regulations in Uruguay: transnational tobacco control network versus Philip Morris International (2018) · cites this paper as [25]
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Research works printed but not linked: 36
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Crosbie, E., Sosa, P., & Glantz, S. A. (2018) · Tobacco control · doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-053690 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
- Authors
- Russell, A., Wainwright, M., & Mamudu, H.
- Affiliations
- Durham University (GB)
- East Tennessee State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Russell, Andrew
- Venue
- Medical Anthropology Quarterly
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-10-21
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 256-277
- ISSN
- 0745-5194 (ISSN-L)
- 1548-1387
- OpenAlex
- W2142281814
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 5.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Locations
- Medical Anthropology Quarterly (publishedVersion)
- University of Florida Digital Collections (University of Florida) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Durham Research Online (Durham University) (acceptedVersion)
- Durham Research Online (Durham University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Digital Commons - East Tennessee State University (East Tennessee State University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Durham University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › International Arbitration and Investment Law
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › World Trade Organization Law
- Keywords
- Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Philip Morris International, tobacco control, investment arbitration, global health diplomacy, corporate capitalism, Uruguay
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Politics, Smoking, Uruguay, Global Health, World Health Organization, Tobacco Industry, Biomedical Research, Anthropology, Medical
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