UW-CTRI is celebrating a quarter-century of work to help patients quit tobacco use.
- During its first 25 years, the Center has:
- Published more than 350 research articles.
- Garnered more than $100 million in grant funding.
- Worked with more than 220,000 clinicians and every health system in the state.
- Helped more than 250,000 patients to quit smoking.
“I owe a lot to this quit-smoking study,” said Mike Eheler (above), a father-of-four who quit smoking with help from the Wisconsin Smokers’ Health Study. “Without the help, I don’t think I would have quit.” He’s now healthy enough to play ball with his kids. “I feel like I got a lot more years added to my life to spend with my kids.” Watch a video of Eheler.
Dr. Robert Golden (above left), Dean of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, smiles as UW-CTRI Director Dr. Michael Fiore prepares to present him with a 25th anniversary UW-CTRI pin.
The impact UW-CTRI has had on the lives of patients like Eheler has been impressive, said Dr. Robert Golden, Dean of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, who spoke at the anniversary event. Golden said UW-CTRI is a reflection of the Wisconsin Idea—to take research expertise and disseminate it to healthcare providers and patients across the state.
Some of the Center’s top achievements include:
- Being a driving force to institute tobacco use as a standard vital sign for all patients.
- Chairing the U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline: Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence. (2000 and 2008)
- Contributing to the National Action Plan to reduce tobacco dependence.
- Conducting ground-breaking research in areas such as dependence, cessation, and genetics.
- Researching key quit-tobacco counseling strategies and medications, such as nicotine-replacement therapies, bupropion and varenicline.
- Creating the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line.
- Training tens of thousands of health-care practitioners.
- Assisting with passing a workplace smoking ban in Madison and then statewide in Wisconsin.
- Working with disadvantaged populations to help smokers quit.
- Working on systems change such as incorporation of tobacco treatment into health-care settings, including electronic health records.
Want to help the Center assist more people to quit smoking? Contribute here. Know people who want to quit? Suggest they join our new study.
Drs. Timothy Baker (above left) and Michael Fiore have successfully led UW-CTRI for more than 25 years.