Bhadauria US, et al. Quality Assessment of Guidelines on Tobacco Cessation: A Systematic Review. Tobacco Use Insights. 2025;18. doi:10.1177/1179173X251370212

PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Databases were electronically searched. An additional search was conducted at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Guidelines International Network, Google Scholar, and the references of relevant articles to identify studies relevant to this review. Guidelines on both health and allied health professionals in the English language were included. The assessment of the guidelines in this review was carried out using the AGREE II instrument by four appraisers.

Twenty guidelines of 448 found were included in this review based on the inclusion criteria. A comparative evaluation of all the guidelines revealed consistently higher scores in the clarity of presentation domain (74.4 ± 20.9) followed by scope and purpose (65.23 ± 17.19), stakeholder involvement (63.84 ± 18.29) and rigour of development domain (61.76 ± 20.24). Lower scores were reported in the Applicability domain (59.18 ± 18.02) and were least in the Editorial Independence domain (58.29 ± 19.36).

This review underscores the importance of high-quality, evidence-based guidelines in guiding tobacco cessation efforts and highlights several key areas for improvement. Healthcare providers need to be equipped with guidelines that are not only evidence-based but also clear and actionable in their recommendations. Moreover, future guidelines should prioritize the inclusion of recommendations tailored to specific subpopulations and address the unique challenges they face in quitting tobacco use.

TRC Research Commentary

FCTC News Release. Global tobacco control conference concludes with decisions on environment, liability

November 22, 2025, Geneva, Switzerland

https://fctc.who.int/newsroom/news/item/22-11-2025-global-tobacco-control-conference-concludes-with-decisions-on-environment-liability

“Key decisions were reached on tobacco control and the environment; increasing sustainable resources for tobacco control; forward-looking tobacco control measures; and issues relating to the liability of the tobacco industry for the damage it causes.

“These important decisions made by Parties to the Convention will contribute towards saving millions of lives in the years to come and protecting the planet from the environmental harms of tobacco,” said Andrew Black, Acting Head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC.”

Important progress was also highlighted by ASH of the US:

• Article 2.1 on Forward Looking Measures (Tobacco Endgame) Decision: represents an important shift in the approach to tobacco policy, with a greater emphasis on supply reduction or elimination.

• Article 18 (Environment) Decision: Will assist countries in their efforts to prevent and manage the substantial environmental harm caused by tobacco and nicotine.

• Article 19 (Liability) Decision: calls on Parties to consider civil, criminal, administrative, environmental, human rights, and other legal actions against the tobacco industry.

• Mobilization by Parties of Sustainable Resources for Tobacco Control: helps countries in their efforts to secure adequate sustainable resources to implement lifesaving tobacco control measures.

Post by Laurent Huber, Executive Director at ASH/FCA Ambassador, 29 Nov 2025