An expert on smoking and health says R.J. Reynolds relied on suspect data to support its claim that smokers of its Eclipse cigarettes may face less risk than smokers of conventional cigarettes.
Testifying in a civil suit, Dr. David Burns, a pulmonologist and professor emeritus at the University of California-San Diego’s medical school, said too few people participated in some studies to draw conclusions about the effects of the cigarettes.
The state of Vermont is suing the tobacco giant over what it says were misleading claims that the Eclipse may carry less risk of cancer and other health ailments.
Reynolds contends that smokers’ risks are reduced with Eclipse because the cigarettes heat the tobacco without burning it.