UK E-Cigarette Research Forum
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
We know that this is an especially worrying time so we have created a key messages document for Health Professionals focussed on safety netting patients presenting with symptoms during the coronavirus outbreak. We have also created a page on the subject specifically for patients on our about cancer hub. We will update that information as guidance changes.
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The #QuitforCovid campaign launched in early 2020 in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. COVID-19 is a new illness caused by a virus that can affect people’s lungs and airways. Symptoms of COVID-19 include a cough, a high temperature and shortness of breath. There are some groups of people who may be more at risk of serious illness if they catch coronavirus, including older people, people with long term health conditions and people who are immunosuppressed. Emerging evidence suggests people who smoke are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection.
If you or someone you know wants to stop smoking, there are a range of tools available to support you. Visit the NHS Smokefree website to find out more.
Evidence so far indicates e-cigarettes are far less harmful than tobacco and can help people who smoke to cut down or stop smoking. However, more evidence is needed to help inform smokers and policy-makers looking to reduce the harm from tobacco.
The UK E-Cigarette Research Forum (UKECRF) is an initiative developed by Cancer Research UK in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) and the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies (UKCTAS). The Forum brings together policy-makers, researchers, practitioners and the NGO community to discuss the emerging evidence and knowledge gaps about e-cigarettes. The group also seeks to identify research priorities, generate ideas for new research projects and enhance collaboration between forum participants.
The UKECRF holds three meetings per year, chaired by Professor Ann McNeill (Kings College London) and co-hosted by Professor Linda Bauld (University of Edinburgh) and Martin Dockrell (Public Health England), and coordinated by CRUK’s Tobacco Control Policy team.
See agendas from previous meetings:
Cancer Research UK is the most active research funder supporting work on e-cigarettes in the UK. A number of forum members are currently conducting e-cigarette research funded by CRUK. Several research projects have arisen from discussions and collaborations made at these meetings. As far as we are aware, no other equivalent national forum exists in other countries.
Cancer Research UK and UKCTAS (through the University of Edinburgh) also provide a monthly email digest of emerging e-cigarette research.
See previous issues:
December 2017 and January 2018
Related documents
See also
Partners
In partnership with Public Health England and UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies (UKCTAS)
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