Technovation 2025 Urges A Policy Shift To Embrace Harm Reduction

The Westin Cape Town recently hosted Technovation 2025, a landmark event that brought together policymakers, public health experts, industry leaders, and media to explore how science and innovation can accelerate the global shift away from smoking. With the tobacco industry undergoing rapid transformation, the conference centred on how smoke-free alternatives are beginning to reshape public health outcomes, particularly in emerging markets like Africa.

At the heart of the discussions was a simple but powerful truth: while quitting all tobacco and nicotine use is the best option, over a billion people worldwide still smoke. For those adults who do not quit, science-backed alternatives, such as heated tobacco products and vaping technologies, represent a much better choice than continued smoking. Technovation 2025 echoed this reality, stressing the importance of not leaving any smoker behind.

Philip Morris International (PMI), the owner of the event, emphasised it’s ongoing transformation and its commitment to a smoke-free future. Over the last three decades, the company has invested heavily in research and development, leading to a portfolio of alternatives that are currently being used by more than 38 million legal-age adults globally. PMI’s leadership reiterated that innovation alone is not enough, it must be supported by regulation that embraces harm reduction and upholds scientific integrity.

One of the central themes of the event was the importance of smart, evidence-based regulation. Several sessions focused on how African governments have a unique opportunity to leapfrog outdated tobacco control frameworks by adopting forward-thinking policies that recognise the distinction between combustible cigarettes and scientifically substantiated smoke-free alternatives.

A key highlight of the conference was the session titled “A Tale of Two Strategies: Adoption vs. Resistance to Smoke-Free Innovations,” led by Andrea Gontkovicova, PMI’s Vice President of Corporate Affairs for the SSEA, CIS, and MEA regions. She pointed out that governments that have embraced innovation are already seeing measurable public health and economic gains. The message was clear: Regulatory resistance does not protect public health; it delays progress.

In another pivotal session, “Towards Smarter Regulation: Ensuring Innovation, Scientific Rigor, and Community Engagement in Africa’s Policy Landscape,” a panel of senior PMI executives and external affairs leaders explored the future of tobacco policy across the continent. The panel, moderated by SABC broadcaster Oliver Dickson, featured Tommaso Di Giovanni, Branislav Bibic, Andrea Gontkovicova, and Themba Mathebula. Together, they called for an approach that balances innovation with public accountability, encouraging inclusive dialogue among all stakeholders, including governments, scientists, public health advocates, and consumers.

The conversation turned more critical during the session titled “When Science Is Ignored and Innovation Stifled, Public Health Suffers,” which took South Africa’s proposed Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill as a case study. The discussion explored whether the bill and the NEDLAC consultation process adequately reflect democratic values, scientific evidence, and harm reduction principles. Participants raised important questions about the potential consequences of treating all nicotine products the same, regardless of their risk profiles. They warned that such an approach could undermine years of progress and delay better health outcomes for millions.

Throughout the event, the issue of misinformation stood out as a major barrier to change. Experts stressed that outdated narratives, incomplete science, and polarized public debate continue to prevent many smokers from understanding or accessing better alternatives. Combating this misinformation, they said, is essential for a truly smoke-free future.

Technovation 2025 concluded with a clear message: real progress will come from collaboration, not confrontation. The conference served as a powerful reminder that meaningful public health change requires science-based innovation, inclusive regulation, and a collective commitment to better outcomes. As the world moves toward a smoke-free future, Africa has a chance to lead, not by following old models, but by pioneering new ones rooted in evidence, pragmatism, and the will to improve lives.

Mzansi Pulse

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Technovation 2025 Urges A Policy Shift To Embrace Harm Reduction

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