Exclusive Interview with Damilola Fajuyigbe, Ph.D, BCMAS

My mission to positively impact public health inspired my transition from L'Oréal to PMI. At PMI, I now focus on reducing the negative consequences of smoking. By innovating non-combustible products, we aim to provide less harmful alternatives for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke. This role allows me to continue my commitment to public health by ensuring smokers have access to scientifically validated, reduced-risk products, thus aligning with my long-standing dedication to harm reduction.

What inspired you to transition from your role at L'Oréal, where you worked on reducing harm caused by skin bleaching practices, to your current position at PMI, where you are focusing on driving efforts towards a smoke-free future?

My mission has always been to make a positive impact on public health. At L'Oréal, I focused on reducing harm from sun exposure and later skin bleaching and even later hair care practices. Harm reduction aims to minimize negative consequences of high-risk behaviours rather than eliminate them. This is what we do with sun exposure, advising people to protect themselves because completely avoiding sun exposure is too difficult At PMI, we're applying this approach for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke, innovating products that don't combust tobacco, reducing the temperature at which tobacco is consumed, and thus reducing the level of toxicants compared to smoking. We share our data and engage the scientific community and governments to ensure smokers have access to these less harmful alternatives.

Can you share some of the key challenges you face in strategizing scientific engagement in the Middle East and Africa, especially in regions where information may not always be accessible? How do you overcome these challenges?

Scientific engagement is really about disseminating the science about products to various stakeholders for whom the knowledge/awareness is important. In regions where information accessibility is limited, one of the biggest challenges is ensuring that the scientific evidence reaches the right stakeholders in a comprehensible and accurate manner. To overcome these, we prioritize meetings with local experts and institutions (one-on- one sometimes) who understand the regional context and we can effectively share together the realities about the country but also some of the studies coming out of the country as well as the science we are conducting. At PMI globally, We also invest in digital platforms, like our Open Science seminars, to disseminate information broadly. These seminars, accessible on LinkedIn and our website, feature experts discussing tobacco harm reduction and engaging with the public. We also invite interested parties to visit our research and innovation cube in Neuchatel, Switzerland if they want to see and hear more about the smoke free product science.

With your extensive academic background and experience in molecular biology and medical biochemistry, how do you approach the task of bridging the gap between complex scientific research and the general public's understanding?

Simplifying complex science involves clear, non-technical language and relatable analogies. I draw parallels to everyday practices, like using helmets or seatbelts. Harm reduction is embedded in our lives. For tobacco, we highlight extensive research—PMI alone has over 500 articles and book chapters on smoke free products . Effective communication, visual aids, and local presence help bridge the gap and make scientific concepts more accessible. Let’s take Nicotine and Burning tobacco for example. I think we need to do a better job in communicating to people that nicotine as present in Nicotine replacement therapies is not carcinogenic, it is not cancer inducing. Rather the primary cause of smoking related diseases is what comes out of the combustion, what is present in smoke.

In your view, what are the most effective methods for promoting harm reduction in public health, particularly in regions with limited access to information and resources?

Drawing parallels to familiar practices is crucial. Harm reduction, like using helmets and seatbelts, is already part of daily life. When I talk to doctors I remind them that actually the core of medicine practice is harm reduction. In some cases you can treat the condition but in a lot of cases you will aim to reduce the negative side event.. When it comes to promoting harm reduction in tobacco space, there is a lot of studies out there, from PMI alone we have over 500 articles and book chapters.

Reflecting on your career, from academia to the beauty industry, and now at PMI, what have been some of the most impactful campaigns or projects you have worked on, and what lessons have you learned from these experiences?

One of the most impactful projects was definitely the sunscreen project at L'Oréal. These campaigns were crucial in raising awareness about the importance of sun protection in Africa. I learned the importance of clear, consistent messaging and the power of collaborations with dermatologists and public health organizations. Another key lesson was the value of patient education and how empowering individuals with knowledge can lead to significant public health improvements. At PMI, our ongoing efforts towards a smoke-free future have reinforced the importance of evidence-based communication and collaboration in achieving public health goals. We all have the same goal, the rid the world of cigarettes, so we call on scientists, regulators globally to review the science and work together to ensure that adult smokers are better informed about these less harmful alternatives and they have access to these products.