The Electronic Cigarette
Electronic Cigarette : Concerns With FDA Report
In a July of 2009 the FDA ( Food & Drug Administration) issued a report referencing the presence of DEG (diethylene glycol), which can be toxic at high levels, in an ecig cartridge they had tested. This single sample was one of a number of samples the FDA quantified as "various samples". (More than 0.2% of DEG is prohibited). But what does "various samples" mean?Here is the only problem: When conducting and reporting scientific studies, one of the most important aspects in forming a conclusion is stating specifics in your report as far as measurable results. In the FDA's report, no level of DEG is stated. The FDA only notes that the DEG is present. So why is this absence of data important? Because if the level of DEG detected was at a level high enough to cause toxicity to humans, the FDA is responsible to take action and report the exact level. But there are other discrepancies.....
Now, add to this that the FDA reported they had tested "various cartridges" from only two manufacturers of electronics cigarettes with just 1 having a detectable amount of DEG. Here are 2 more reasons the FDA's report should be considered inaccurate as far as being a scientifically controlled study. What was the amount of DEG detected and what was the number of cartridges tested. Was it 10 or 10,000? So why is this a problem?
Those familiar with scientific testing methods understand that by definition, forming a conclusion require the results to be repeatable and significant. A single cartridge from a number stated as "various" does not even loosely meet this criteria. Not to mention the amount of DEG reported was "detectable". But how could a government agency make such a mistake?
The short story is that the FDA report does not support their conclusion that smokeless cigarettes can or could cause any adverse health effects. So why would the FDA publish such a flawed report? There are many opinions and theories but the most plausible are that the FDA was pressured by someone to produce a negative report about ecigs or that the FDA is trying to gain jurisdiction over e-cig sales and distribution. So what should we do?
At this point, the only logical thing for us to do is complete our own research and make our own conclusions. It is clear, that for what ever reason, the FDA is putting their own best interest before that of the public. Why this is happening is open for debate and may take some time to determine. Nevertheless, consumers must be aware that there best interest was not considered when the study was completed.