| PDF Version of this document | IT'S TIME TO THWART PM'S LATEST PR PLOY!PLAN OF ACTIONThe objective: encourage peer reviewers to refuse Philip Morris money and further involvement in the company's external research program. 1. Scan the list of peer reviewers at http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/pmrlist.html for all people and institutions based near you or your partner organization or with which you have some personal tie. In some cases, your own institution may be listed. If there are no peer reviewers that fit these criteria, please see our recommendations below. Peer reviewer contact information is available at http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/pmlist1.html (in alphabetical order by country and state) and http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/pmlist2.html (in alphabetical order by last name). 2. With your partner*, adapt the sample letter http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/action/pmpr/letter.htm or draft your own. In order to coordinate our efforts, we ask that you try to send/fax the letter within the next two weeks. A follow up phone call a week later would not hurt. Letters should be courteous and polite, while firmly stating your opinion that the addressee should cut all ties to the tobacco industry. Sharing examples of Philip Morris' marketing practices in your or your partner's country is recommended. *If you do not have a partner, please do this activity on your own. 3. To make your effort most effective, ask other organizations in your state or country to write letters of their own or sign on to one you draft. If you are a school-based organization, consider writing letters for a class activity. 4. Share copies of your letters and any responses with us (see contact information below). This will help us coordinate our action with others in the international tobacco control community and to better monitor the results. To whom should you send personal letters? To as many people as you can! * If there are one or more peer reviewers based in your state or country, we recommend that you send a letters to them. * If you are from a state or country without any peer reviewers, we recommend that you send letters to people who work for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (see NORTH CAROLINA), National Institutes of Health (see MARYLAND), and anyone who represents a medical/public health field. * You might also send letters to people who work in a similar field as yourself -- or with whom you share some direct or indirect connection, e.g. your partner group is based in their state, you've worked with their university, etc. * Send letters to peer reviewers who are considering cutting their tiesto the Philip Morris External Research Program. For a current list, seehttp://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/action/pmpr/phone.html So, now we've made it easy for you. With contact information in hand, it's time to get busy and send off those letters! Contact: Anna White |