Tobacco is the largest preventable cause of cancer and death in the UK, and one of the largest preventable causes of illness and death in the world (Cancer Research UK).

As part of London Global Cancer Week 2025, the Tobacco Control Research Group will host an informative and interactive session to examine how and why the tobacco industry seeks to influence science and to target health professionals in the pursuit of profit.

We will dive into the ‘Science for Profit’ model, which outlines the strategies used by the tobacco industry to influence science in its interest. We will then explore mechanisms that have been put in place to protect science from the tobacco industry’s vested interests and discuss contemporary case studies through which to interrogate the effectiveness of these.

The session will then end with an exploration of the long history of tobacco industry targeting of health professionals, looking towards practical strategies to counter such attempts to influence health professionals and their professional practice.

This event is for anyone with an interest in how the activities of the tobacco industry or other health-harming industries impact public health. This will be an interactive session with opportunities for the audience to share their experiences and suggest solutions.