Krysinski A, Russo C, John S On behalf of the DIASMOKE collaborators, et al. International randomised controlled trial evaluating metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetic cigarette smokers following switching to combustion-free nicotine delivery systems: the DIASMOKE protocol. BMJ Open 2021;11:e045396. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045396
This article has been retracted by the journal and publisher following a post-publication review of the funding source. This paper is in breach of BMJ Open’s policy not to publish research that has been funded by the tobacco industry, and therefore we have retracted this paper.
Following a query raised post-publication, BMJ now understands that ECLAT SRL (the listed funder) receives sponsorship from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, which is a not for profit group supported and funded by the tobacco company, Philip Morris International. The authors added a disclaimer to the article, referring to Foundation for a Smoke Free World (FSFW) as the “grantor,” when the article was revised as part of the pre-publication peer-review process. The addition of this information and its significance was not specifically brought to the editor’s attention by the authors. Had this been done, the article would not have been published. BMJ Open’s Editorial Policy states that the journal will not consider for publication any study which has been partly or wholly funded by the tobacco industry.
The authors do not agree with the retraction, but given the clear breach of policy BMJ considers that there is no option but to withdraw the article. We thank a reader for bringing this case to our attention.