Thread by @ColinMendelsohn

@SarahWhisar says about #vaping 'The 95% factoid was a consensus OPINION reached by a small panel, some of whom had conflicts of interest - it is not at all evidence-based'

My response in the thread below

1/8 With respect Sarah, that is a misleading response which omits the full story. The 95% figure was first developed by leading experts based on the best available evidence at the time in a validated MCDA process. @ProfDavidNutt replied to the criticism
bit.ly/32dPV76

2/8 It was then independently confirmed by @PHE_uk in 2015 and 2018 based on
The toxins in smoke
1. are most absent from vapour
2. Those present are mostly <1% of smoke
The main chemicals that are in #ecigs-only are not associated with any serious risk
bit.ly/1J2Zsj2

3/8 Independently confirmed again by @RCPLondon in 2016
'the hazard to health arising from long-term vapour inhalation from the #ecigs available today is unlikely to exceed 5% of the harm from smoking tobacco'
bit.ly/244lizV

4/8 Chen, @DrChrisBullen et al used a different methodology but reached the same conclusion
'Our findings provide evidence that supports the Public Health England statement but was arrived at by applying a different methodology'
bit.ly/2NGPDBJ

5/8 @robertjwest agrees, in a report to the UK Parliamentary Inquiry
'The precise extent of harm from long-term use is not known but has been estimated at around 1/20th that of smoking tobacco cigarettes'
bit.ly/2LgQtSL

6/8 It supported by other reviews by Burstyn, @FarsalinosK, @PeterHajek and others. There are currently no identified serious health risks from vaping. Stephens estimated that the risk of cancer is <0.5% that of smoking.
bit.ly/2tGBHPR

7/8 The 95% figure is consistent with the toxicology of vapour compared to smoking, biomarker studies and improvements in health and wellbeing when smokers switch to vaping
bit.ly/2ln5dkv

8/8 @Clive_Bates says the 95% safer figure is a quantified estimate provided as a guide to the public, not an exact number. Statements like 'substantially lower risk' are highly ambiguous.

Could you please advise how much safer you think #ecigs are than smoking?

@SarahWhisar @ThreadReaderApp unroll