Tobacco Control Capacity Programme: a new GCRF GROW Grant Ms Fi Davidson , Research Project Manager 17th July 2018

Tobacco Use Globally Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the world. By 2030, more than 80% of the world's tobacco-related deaths will occur in low and middle income countries (LMICs). In 2015, 807m male smokers and 90m female smokers were living in LMICs. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2003 under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO) – 181 countries are now parties. Most existing research on tobacco has been conducted in high income countries – more research relevant to LMICs is needed.

Global Challenges Research Fund 5-year £1.5Bn fund. Led by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Key component in the delivery of the UK Aid Strategy. Aim: “to ensure UK science takes the lead in addressing the problems faced by developing countries, whilst developing our ability to deliver cutting-edge research”.

GCRF Call for Proposals: GROW Aim: “to grow the research base in the UK and strengthen capacity overseas to address research challenges informed by the expressed needs of developing countries”. Funding from GCRF through Research Councils UK Collective Fund. Deadline for proposals: December 2016 Funding available: £2 – 8 million over 4 years. Partnership building between UK research organisations and researchers and other partners (NGOs, governments and business) in developing countries

GROW: Asymmetric Relationships Governance Coproduction of research Impact UK LMIC The challenge from the GCRF team is to be able to evidence equitable partnerships within the GROW programme. The asymmetry of this is expressed in this diagram but it was something that we needed to keep in mind when going through the assurance process as how you treat partners in one area will reflect on their overall impression of how you act as a partner.

Programme Overview @GCRF_TCCP www.UKCTAS.net/TCCP-GCRF

Aim To improve research capacity in LMICs to conduct high quality studies that will generate evidence on how to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by tobacco use and to advance key development priorities. use and to advance key development priorities.

Consortium Partners Building on existing UKCTAS partnerships: - Professor Andrew Fogarty and Addis Ababa University - Professor John Britton and Manipal University - Professor Kamran Siddiqi and the Ark Foundation - Professors Ann McNeill and John Britton supervised PHD of lead at KNUST in Ghana

Objectives Develop a consortium of partners Establish and train a cohort of post-doctoral fellows Develop new studies through a process of co-creation with policy makers and others Apply findings from these studies to inform effective tobacco control measures Engage post-doctoral fellows, co-applicants and collaborators in existing and new training opportunities Invest in wider stakeholder engagement to identify pathways to impact and future sustainability

Research Questions To what extent do national approaches to tobacco taxation align with international best practice, and how can these be enhanced to reduce tobacco consumption? How can local capacity to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products be increased, advancing implementation of the Protocol to the FCTC? What are the principal barriers experienced by governments in protecting public health policy from tobacco industry interference, with specific reference to taxation and illicit trade?

Key Progress to Date Governance structure established Nine of eleven Research Fellow positions have been filled, bespoke training plans are being developed for each Research plans being drafted by all countries within working group Stakeholder engagement events planned by all LMIC partner in 2018 Eight consortium members attended the UKTAS CPD Nicotine and Tobacco: Current Issues Policy and Practice held at the University of Stirling in May 2018. Two international team members attended the University of Bath convened UKCTAS CPD “Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Research Skills” in June 2018. Bespoke tobacco taxation training being delivered by the University of Cape Town in November 2018.

THANK YOU Questions? Contact: fiona.davidson@stir.ac.uk @GCRF_TCCP