Mexico Launches New Platform for Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation

The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) presented the SAPIENS MX Tabaco platform, a digital tool designed to strengthen data governance and consolidate a repository of evidence-based information free from conflicts of interest. This initiative aims to strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in Mexico by providing structured and useful information for decision-making. The development of SAPIENS MX Tabaco responds to the need for tools to evaluate fiscal policies, as well as packaging and labeling of tobacco products, based on key indicators that facilitate analysis and evidence generation. The platform is aimed at decision-makers, civil society members, the academic community, communicators, and journalists, expanding access to relevant information for public policy design. The system is aligned with the WHO's MPOWER package of measures, which establishes strategic actions to reduce tobacco demand. SAPIENS MX Tabaco integrates information corresponding to three key components: Monitoring (M), Warning (W), and Regulation (R). Each of these sections allows for analyzing different dimensions of tobacco control in Mexico. The Monitoring (M) component provides access to indicators that help understand the behavior of the tobacco epidemic and the progress of public policies. It includes an intersectionality visualizer that identifies groups with the greatest vulnerability, highlighting adolescents, women, and populations with lower socioeconomic and educational levels. The Warning (W) component analyzes the risks associated with tobacco consumption by studying the packaging and labeling of products. This section incorporates a historical repository of legislation since the implementation of pictograms in 2010, as well as a record of prevention campaigns in the media. The Regulation (R) component focuses on economic indicators related to consumption, prices, and fiscal revenues from tobacco. It highlights the incorporation of the SIMFIC MX simulator, which allows for projecting scenarios on the impact of tobacco tax increases, making it a key tool for designing health-oriented fiscal policies. The development of SAPIENS MX Tabaco was the result of a joint effort between the Public Health Intelligence Unit of CIEE, the Tobacco Prevention and Control Department of CIS, and the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur (UABCS). The project was sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, administered by Vital Strategies, which allowed for the consolidation of an initiative aimed at bringing scientific evidence to those who make decisions in the health field. The platform is available for public consultation at: https://sapiens.insp.mx/