Juul’s Connection to ‘Independent’ Expert Farsalinos Revealed

Greek cardiologist Konstantinos Farsalinos has been one of the e-cigarette industry’s most consistent supporters. Despite his behavior having all the hallmarks of undisclosed industry ties, until now no one was able to prove it. Now, using the Juul documents in the UCSF Industry documents library, investigators from The Examination, Le Monde (in English, in French) and Reporters United (in Greek) have detailed how industry financed this “independent” expert to shape the global vaping debate. (The email at the top of this blog post is one document the reporters found.)

This quote from The Examination gives the top line, highlighting Farsalinos’ work for Juul in Israel:

Greek cardiologist Konstantinos Farsalinos was paid 7,000 euros (about $8,100) by Juul via a company he co-owns, according to Juul emails reviewed by The Examination, Le Monde and Reporters United.  

In return, Farsalinos attended a July 2018 meeting with the Israeli health ministry to argue against a proposed ban on high-nicotine vapes. Juul had recently launched its high-strength vape cartridges in Israel after their success in the United States, despite criticisms that such products were driving a youth vaping epidemic. 

Farsalinos’ business-class flights and hotel accommodations for the trip to Israel were also funded by Juul. But he represented himself to government officials as an independent researcher.  

Farsalinos did not disclose the payment to scientific journals that later published his research on vaping or nicotine, even though those journals require such disclosures.

Le Monde detailed his role in organizing a September 2025 letter signed by 83 e-cigarette and “tobacco harm reduction advocates” to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging them to reconsider taxes on e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches.

The stories also raise questions about claimed academic affiliations.

This is very important as we approach the Conference of the Parties for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, where industry “harm reduction” advocates are making a full court press to integrate this tobacco industry marketing strategy into FCTC guidelines despite the fact that e-cigarettes are not an effective harm reduction strategy.

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Here are links to the three stories, which each contain some different details:

The Examination: ‘Independent’ expert who helped shape global vaping debate was paid thousands by Juul

Le Monde: The nicotine lobby’s secret expert (also in French)

Reporters United: The “independent” Greek doctor who was paid by the e-cigarette multinational (in Greek)