Permanente statement regarding FDA action on flavored e-cigarettes

An important message from Edward Ellison, MD, and Richard S. Isaacs, MD, FACS, co-CEOs of The Permanente Federation, representing the Permanente Medical Groups and nearly 23,000 Permanente physicians providing care to Kaiser Permanente members

The Permanente Medical Groups are encouraged by the Food and Drug Administration’s action to remove flavored e-cigarettes from the market. Underage vaping is a public health crisis that must be addressed. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 deaths from vaping-related respiratory illnesses and more than 380 cases of lung illness have been reported.   

E-cigarette companies have created a national epidemic by marketing candy-flavored products to youth with the goal of creating a new generation addicted to nicotine. The number of U.S. high school students who reported using e-cigarettes increased 78% between 2017 and 2018 to more than 3 million teenagers – reversing decades of progress in reducing underage tobacco use. As physicians who see first-hand the effects of vaping, we support the federal government’s efforts to address this public health crisis. 

About the Permanente Medical Groups

The Permanente Medical Groups are self-governed, physician-led, prepaid, multispecialty medical groups composed of nearly 23,000 physicians. We are dedicated to the mission of improving the health of our patients and communities. Together with the Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, we are Kaiser Permanente – an award-winning health care system that delivers Permanente Medicine to more than 12.3 million Kaiser Permanente members. We work collaboratively, enabled by state-of-the-art facilities and technology, to provide preventive and world-class complex care in eight states – from Hawaii to Maryland – and the District of Columbia.

About The Permanente Federation

The Permanente Federation LLC (the Federation) is the national leadership and consulting organization for the eight Permanente Medical Groups (PMGs), which, together with the Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, comprise Kaiser Permanente. The Federation works on behalf of the PMGs to optimize care delivery and spread Permanente Medicine – medicine that is person- and family-centered, compassionate, evidence-based, technology-enabled, culturally responsive, team delivered, and physician led. The Federation, based in Oakland, California, fosters an open learning environment and accelerates research, innovation, and performance improvements across the PMGs to expand the reach of Kaiser Permanente’s integrated care delivery model and to lead the nation in transforming care delivery.