Table 2

Tobacco control work of Bloomberg and Gates foundations in China

YearPhilanthropic organisationKey Projects/Outcomes
2007—PresentBloomberg Initiative—Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids26 27 (Y Xi, S England, and E Yin, personal communication, 2012)▸ Increased media coverage of tobacco control issues by 27% between 2008–2010
▸ Trained journalist to promote tobacco control issues
▸ Provided media advocacy training and legal workshops for government policy makers and lawyers
▸ Raised awareness of health risks of smoking with a multi-city pack warning campaign ‘I want to tell you because I love you’ (2011)
▸ Partnered with other international organisations to support the adoption of SF public place policies in China cities
▸ Support advocacy efforts that led to the Shanghai World Expo's organisation decision to return tobacco company donation
▸ Prevented a tobacco company-sponsored sports event
2007—PresentBloomberg Initiative—Johns Hopkins School of Public Health28 (S Tamplin and E Yin, personal communication, 2012)▸ Promoted the adoption and implementation of policies to ban smoking in public places, and to improve tobacco control capacity in 40 cities and 20 provinces
▸ Offered the US-based Global Tobacco Control Leadership Program
2007—PresentBloomberg Initiative—International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease26 (Y Lin, Q Gan, N Dong, H Liu, personal communication, 2012)▸ Supported public sector efforts to pass and enforce key policies

  • Established SF policy in tuberculosis (TB) centres and supported SF families initiative in Hunan Province (2007–2009)

  • Supported the establishment of SF public places in Olympic cities (2007–2009)

  • Supported the establishment of SF universities with public health facilities (2012–2014)

  • Established SF Traditional Chinese Medicine hospitals (2011–2013)

  • Supported the advocacy efforts for SF workplaces and public places in Shanghai (2008–2011), Guangdong (2011–2013), and Chongqing (2009–2012), Lanzhou (2009–2012), Nanchang (2009–2012), Shenyang (2009–2012), and Jinan (2012–2014)

  • Supported the advocacy efforts for SF workplaces and public places in Guangzhou (2009–2013), Harbin (2010–2014), Shenzhen (2010–2014), and Tianjin (2010–2014)


▸ Established tobacco control training programmes in selected universities
2008—PresentBloomberg Initiative— WHO (D Xiao, personal communication, 2012)▸ Created a SF hospital model for China and piloted the model in 40 hospitals
▸ Promoted a national effort to establish SF hospitals throughout China
2007—PresentBloomberg Initiative—World Lung Foundation(Y Chang and W Chen, personal communication, 2012)▸ Created eight mass media campaigns for China and partnered with organisations in China to promote the campaigns in various locations
▸ Launched a national media campaign (2012)
2009—PresentBloomberg Initiative—US CDC Foundation29 (S Asma, personal communication, 2012)▸ Partnered with China CDC to implement the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) (2010) and collected data on tobacco use and key tobacco control measures
2008—PresentBill and Melinda Gates Foundation—China Medical Board (J Koplan and L Chen, personal communication, 2012)▸ Promoted antitobacco control activities in its associated academic health science centre grantees

  • Established SF campuses

  • Developed curricula on hazards of smoking and SHS

  • Increased cessation among physicians


▸ Conducted research on economics and epidemiology of tobacco use
▸ Cosponsored an academic conference on tobacco control (2011)
▸ Supported a supplemental issue of Tobacco Control (2012–2013)
2008—PresentBill and Melinda Gates Foundation—Emory University Global Health Institute30 (J Koplan and P Redmon, personal communication, 2012)▸ Provided grant funds/training and technical assistance to 17 cities (Anshan, Bayannouer, Changchun, Changsha, Dalian, Hangzhou, Kelamayi, Luoyang, Nanjing, Nanning, Ningbo, Shanghai, Suzhou, Shanghai, Tangshan, Wuxi and Yinchuan to change tobacco use social norms

  • Established SF hospitals, schools, businesses, airports, businesses, restaurants, hotels, airports, mega events and families

  • Advocated for city-wide SF public place policies

  • Increased TV and news media on tobacco control issues

  • Launched mass media campaigns

  • Delivered community interventions to promote cessation, prevent initiation, and protect non-smoker from SHS

▸ Provided grant funds/technical support to 5 universities to conduct tobacco control research (Kunming University School of Public Health, Shandong University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Public Health, Tsinghua University Law School, Yunnan Agricultural University College of Economics and Management/ Pioneers of Health Consultancy Center
▸ Cosponsored academic conference on tobacco control (2011)
▸ Sponsored development of web-based China Tobacco Control Resource Center (2011)
▸ Published monthly electronic tobacco control newsletter
2011—PresentBill and Melinda Gates Foundation—China Red Cross▸ Provided support to universities, government and non-government organisations, and cities to change tobacco use social norms and ensure long-term political support for tobacco control in China

  • CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; GATS, Global Adult Tobacco Survey; NGO, Non-governmental organisation; NIH, National Institutes of Health; SHS, secondhand smoke; SF, smoke-free; TB, tuberculosis.