Philip Morris has apologised for a widely criticised company-funded study that said the Czech Republic reaps a financial benefit when smokers die early, the Wall Street Journalreported today.
"We understand that this was not only a terrible mistake, but that it was wrong," Mr Steven Parrish, a senior vice-president, was quoted in the newspaper. "To say it's totally inappropriate is an understatement."
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Company officials last month distributed an economic analysis in the Czech Republic that concluded cigarettes are not a drain on the country's budget - in part because the government saves money on health care, pensions and housing when smokers die prematurely.
Anti-tobacco advocates and others criticised the report when it came to light in news accounts last week.
According to the Journal, US Senator Ms Dianne Feinstein wrote a letter to Philip Morris chief executive Mr Geoffrey Bible after reading about the report.
Mr Bible answered in a letter saying the funding and release of the report "exhibited terrible judgement as well as a complete and unacceptable disregard of basic human values".