Pacific tobacco industry interference index: a tool for monitoring the types and extent of tobacco industry interference 

Overview

Information regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Article 5.3 Guidelines across the Pacific island countries is limited and has yet to be measured systematically. The Pacific Tobacco Industry Interference (TII) Index was developed by the Tobacco Free Pacific 2025 Alliance, with support from the Framework Convention Alliance and WHO, as a tool for governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to monitor the types and extent of industry interference in their countries, and to assess how well prepared governments are to prevent it.

Tobacco industry interference in the Pacific is often poorly monitored and recognized, and this tool simplifies the issue by providing a systematic way of doing both. Unlike the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index, this tool is not intended to categorize the severity of tobacco industry interference within countries based on the scores. However, it does recommend strategies for preventing it.

Using the Pacific TII Index on a regular basis (e.g., every two years) and/or designating an entity to oversee the monitoring of tobacco industry interference may help strengthen a government’s ability to protect public health interests from such interference.