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Brilliant gold IQOS 3 DUO with HEETS stick and charger next to binoculars on a blue blanket

The science and the research behind IQOS.

Our scientific assessment journey.

Brilliant gold, white, black and stellar blue IQOS 3 DUO chargers lined up

Scientific programme.

We have developed a comprehensive step-by-step scientific assessment programme. This programme is inspired by the practices of the pharmaceutical industry and is in line with the USA’s Federal Drug Administration’s 2012 guidance on the assessment of candidate Modified Risk Tobacco products. Our assessment was also conducted according to international standards.

Brilliant gold IQOS 3 DUO holder and charger

Does IQOS emit fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes?

In laboratory settings, we found that IQOS tobacco vapour is less toxic than cigarette smoke. Our scientists test our products thoroughly before they go into adult smokers’ hands. Using in vitro assays in our labs, we assessed the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of IQOS tobacco vapour in comparison with the smoke of a reference cigarette designed for research purposes. Taken together, the results of these assays show that IQOS tobacco vapour is significantly less toxic than the smoke from reference cigarette.

This is just a glimpse of our work. These tests were crucial before we moved on to test IQOS with thousands of adult smokers who voluntarily participated in our clinical study programme and ultimately allowed us to commercialize our products.

Illustration of particles emitted from a cigarette
Stellar blue IQOS 3 DUO holder and charger on a picnic table

Clinical studies.

In order to understand whether the reduction in lower levels of harmful chemicals in IQOS tobacco vapor also represents lower levels of chemicals in the body, levels of exposure biomarkers of these harmful chemicals were measured in thousands of smokers who participated in the clinical study program (some switched to IQOS while others continued to smoke their brand of cigarettes or stopped smoking for the duration of the study).

These studies show that when smokers switch to IQOS, their body absorbs significantly lower levels of harmful chemicals, which in turn translates into favorable changes in selected markers because of their known association with smoking-related illnesses.

Stellar blue IQOS 3 DUO holder with HEETS stick and charger
Stellar blue IQOS 3 device on a music production dashboard

Similar use experience

Our clinical study participants who switched to IQOS also report that IQOS provides comparable levels of satisfaction as cigarettes. This supports our view that IQOS has the potential to be an acceptable alternative for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke. Based on all the scientific evidence, we are confident that switching completely to IQOS is less harmful than continuing to smoke cigarettes.

However, and this is important: IQOS is not risk-free and the reduction in risk also depends upon each individual’s smoking history. The absolute best choice remains to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether. IQOS is not an alternative to cessation. It delivers nicotine, which is addictive.

Black IQOS 3 DUO holder and charger on a book
Brilliant gold IQOS 3 DUO on top of charger

Long-term studies.

Once IQOS is available in the market, the research moves from being conducted in a pre-market setting to a real-world post-market setting. There, we look at how the product is being used and by whom in order to complement our pre-market findings and to do our best to identify and prevent use or uptake by unintended audiences. After years of commercialization in many countries, the available data confirms our pre-market observations, in particular in terms of IQOS’ appeal to adult smokers and the relative lack of interest in former and never smokers.

We also monitor reports of health effects now that the product is used by millions of adult users. Long-term studies will eventually help us to evaluate the potential disease–specific risk reduction of IQOS. Gathering data to answer this question takes time, but it’s the right choice.

Close up of charge lights on IQOS 3 DUO holder
Brilliant gold IQOS 3 DUO holder on charger on red fabric

The result.

IQOS is an alternative to continued smoking. The totality of scientific evidence available to-date clearly demonstrates that switching completely to IQOS presents less risk to your health than continuing to smoke cigarettes.*.

IQOS is not risk-free and delivers nicotine, which is addictive. The best decision any smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether.

*Source: Based on the totality of evidence available for IQOS in comparison with continuing to smoke, which includes data on aerosol chemistry from 10 clinical studies conducted with thousands of participants in the US, Japan and Poland, and data from 18 non-clinical studies.