Academic collaborations and public health: Lessons from Dutch universities’ tobacco industry partnerships for fossil fuel ties

Tobacco and fossil fuels are both leading commercial determinants of health and both industries actively obstruct health and environmental policy, yet academic collaboration with these industries is treated differently. While the WHO and many academics recognise an “ irreconcilable conflict ” between the tobacco industry and public health interests, many universities justify fossil fuel collaborations if linked to the energy transition. This essay draws lessons from the history of tobacco industry collaborations in the Netherlands to inform current debates on fossil fuel ties in academia. We examine the evolving policies and attitudes toward tobacco in the Netherlands, the industry’s historical and ongoing influence on academia, and parallels with fossil fuel strategies such as casting doubt on health risks, leveraging industry-funded research, shifting blame, and emphasising consumer responsibility and economic importance. Finally, we discuss how the academic world—universities, research funders, journals, and medical professionals—should critically assess their engagement with tobacco and fossil fuel industries.