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Inter Scientific's Information Security Administrator, Ellen Gault discusses the importance of Employee Training in Cybersecurity, covering awareness and the significance, effectiveness and benefits of training. Educating employees about cybersecurity threats and effective risk mitigation practices is crucial. Such training empowers them to identify and address potential threats, cultivating a security-conscious culture within the organization. Moreover, this knowledge extends beyond the workplace, benefiting employees in their personal lives as well. By understanding cybersecurity principles, individuals can safeguard their personal information and navigate online risks more securely, enhancing their overall digital safety. Significance of cyber security awareness training: Cybersecurity awareness training is crucial in providing employees with the necessary knowledge and skills to detect and counter potential cyber threats effectively. Through education on prevalent attack methods like phishing and social engineering, organisations enable employees to discern suspicious activity and respond appropriately. Such training nurtures a security-oriented culture within the organisation, empathising the significance of protecting sensitive data and complying with security protocols. This culture extends beyond the workplace, motivating employees to adopt cyber security practices in their personal lives. Cyber security training not only fortifies organisational defences but also enhances individuals' digital resilience both at work and in their personal lives. K ey components of effective security training: An effective cyber security training program encompasses a wide range of essential topics to ensure comprehensive preparedness among employees. Identifying phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics Creating and managing strong passwords Recognising malware and other malicious software Safely browsing the internet and avoiding risky websites Protecting sensitive data and adhering to data handling practices Responding to security incidents Training should be delivered through various formats to accommodate different learning styles and preferences. It is critical to tailor the training content to the specific needs and skill levels of employees ensuring that it remains engaging, relevant, and impactful in enhancing cyber security awareness and preparedness across the organisation. One effective method for assessing user awareness and customising training is to conduct internal phishing campaigns to identify individual vulnerabilities and areas for improvement. Benefits of cyber security awareness training: Investing in cyber security training offers several benefits for organisations including: Reduced risk of security incidents: educated employees are better equipped to identify and mitigate potential security threats, reducing the likelihood of successful cyber attacks. Enhanced compliance: training programs helps ensure that employees understand and adhere to regulatory requirements and industry standards related to data protection and privacy. Improved incident response: employees who receive security training can respond more effectively to security incidents, minimising the impact. Strengthen security culture; by promoting a culture of security, organisations can create a collective mindset where cybersecurity is prioritised and integrated into everyday operations. Cost effective: proactive investment is cyber security awareness training can save organisations money by reducing the financial losses associated with security breaches and regulatory penalties. In today’s interconnected world, cyber security awareness training is a critical component of any organisation’s security strategy. By educating employees and fostering a culture of security, organisations can strength their defences, mitigate risk and safeguard sensitive information against evolving cyber threats. Investing in employee training is not just a prudent security measure – it is a fundamental aspect of responsible cyber security governance. For more information or to discover our services, contact us here. About Inter Scientific Inter Scientific is an independently owned analytical and regulatory services firm headquartered in Liverpool, United Kingdom. The company is accredited by UKAS to the international standard ISO/IEC17025. Inter scientific is responsible for the evaluation of products in the pharmaceutical, medical device, cosmetics, and nicotine industries. With a world-class laboratory supporting global product submissions and compliance combined with a dedicated specialist ENDS regulatory team, Inter Scientific brings innovative solutions for clients, ensuring the highest level of compliance in the UK, Europe, the US, and the Middle East. across UK, Europe, the US, and the Middle East. #CyberSecurity #EmployeeTraining #InformationSecurity #CyberAwareness #InterScientific #DataProtection #WorkplaceSafety #CyberSecTraining For all media enquiries, Click here.

Liverpool, United Kingdom May 9, 2024, Inter Scientific announces the launch of Vape Aware ™, a new portal to aid transparency within the vape industry and assist in ensuring consumer safety. Vape Aware™ is a portal that publishes results from analytical tests carried out on vape products sold in the UK market. The first phase of the portal, which was launched today, will aid enforcement agencies in identifying illicit products by providing a single-source database for Trading Standards, The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), and public bodies. The launch of Vape Aware ™ is supported by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) . The professional membership body representing Trading Standards Officers throughout the UK who are responsible for enforcement of vape product regulation, the Tobacco and Related Product Regulations 2016 (TRPR), the UK's transposition of the European Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU (TPD) and the portal has been developed in conjunction with CTSI. Ensuring the safety and compliance of nicotine products is fundamental to ensuring public health. Illegal vape products may pose a risk to health with some reported to contain high levels of toxins including heavy metals. These products circumvent regulation and are not assessed for safety by the regulatory authorities. CTSI Joint Lead Officer for Vaping, Kate Pike, comments, "Vape Aware will be really welcomed by Trading Standards Officers to view results of testing of seized vape products to support us in tackling illegal vapes.” CTSI Joint Lead Officer for Vaping, Marsha Bell, comments, "This will help us to maximise our resources by saving officers time and ensuring all officers can benefit from increased product knowledge.” Chief Commercial Officer Julia McLachlan comments, "We are delighted to launch the first phase of Vape Aware™ today to assist enforcement agencies in tackling illegal vape products. We are also currently working with manufacturers to allow them to submit products for analysis, with results made available to consumers, ensuring consumer safety. We must always stress that if you don't smoke, don't vape. For smokers, vaping provides a reduced harm alternative to smoking and transparency in product performance and safety is vital in ensuring consumer confidence to switch from smoking.” Inter Scientific has collaborated with over 50 Local Authority Trading Standard Services, the UK government, and other enforcement agencies to provide regulatory and analytical vape compliance support as well as provided evidence to support the prosecution of retailers selling illegal vape products. Find out more about Vape Aware here. About Inter Scientific Inter Scientific is an independently owned analytical and regulatory services firm headquartered in Liverpool, United Kingdom. The company is accredited by UKAS to the international standard ISO/IEC17025. Inter scientific is responsible for the evaluation of products in the pharmaceutical, medical device, cosmetics, and nicotine industries. With a world-class laboratory supporting global product submissions and compliance combined with a dedicated specialist ENDS regulatory team, Inter Scientific brings innovative solutions for clients, ensuring the highest level of compliance in the UK, Europe, the US, and the Middle East. across UK, Europe, the US, and the Middle East. #SmokingCessation #CTSI_UK #Vape #TradingStandards #TRPR #TPD #Nicotine Products For all media enquiries, Click here.

David Lawson, the founder of Inter Scientific, had the honour of presenting crucial oral evidence to the Scrutiny Committee. This committee, a vital part of the House of Commons Service, coordinates the evidence about the Tobacco and Vape Bill. David's insightful responses to the committee's questions and his sharing of testing outcomes of illicit vape products are invaluable. For those interested, the session is available to view on Parliamentary TV . Inter Scientific has worked closely with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) to test confiscated vape products and have found the following concerning results: > 19% of products tested contain > 20mg/mL nicotine, exceeding the UK limit > 77% of products tested contained >2mL of e-liquid, exceeding the UK limit > 33% of products marketed as nicotine-free were found to contain nicotine > Overall, 78% of products tested were found to be illegal on the UK market These findings are not just concerning; they are alarming. David Lawson has underscored the urgent need for action. It is imperative to protect adult vapers from illegal products and to prevent the infiltration of products that are most appealing to youth into the UK market. The health and safety of our citizens are at stake, and swift measures are necessary to address this issue. Contact us today if you need support testing and de-risking your product portfolio, here. #SmokingCessation #CTSI_UK #Vape #TradingStandards About Inter Scientific With our combined analytical and regulatory services, we offer a single-point solution for product compliance. Our mission is to make regulatory compliance as straightforward as possible, allowing you to unlock global markets. Inter Scientific is dedicated to providing quality scientific data and is multi-accredited against numerous international standards to ensure the highest quality, security, and data integrity. With a world-class laboratory supporting global product submissions and compliance combined with a dedicated specialist ENDS regulatory team, Inter Scientific brings innovative solutions for clients, ensuring the highest level of compliance in the UK, Europe, the US, and the Middle East. For all media enquiries, Click here.

Inter Scientific announced it has been granted Corporate Affiliate Membership with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI). Inter Scientific is delighted to align with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and further bolster its unwavering commitment to combat illicit vape products in the UK. Our shared values of customer protection, business legitimacy, and justice drive us to work tirelessly across regions, gathering intelligence on new and emerging issues, and ensuring the safety of our customers and the integrity of the industry. Inter Scientific is deeply committed to customer safety. Our extensive collaboration with Trading Standards, including the testing of a significant number of vape products, is a testament to this commitment. We are dedicated to being part of the solution, ensuring that only legal and safe vape products reach our customers, thereby safeguarding public health. Julia McLachlan, Chief Commercial Officer, comments, "At Inter Scientific, we place the utmost importance on customer safety and regulatory compliance. Analytical testing is a crucial part of this, as it verifies vape nicotine product adherence to legal parameters. This is not just about the protection of public health, but also about maintaining the reputation of a legitimate vape industry. McLachlan continues, "Responsible manufacturers must ensure their product portfolio complies with regulations for their chosen market to de-risk and safeguard their brand, now and into the future." Inter Scientific has announced it will sponsor a session on vaping at the CTSI Annual Conference in June. Find out more. Contact us today if you need support testing and de-risking your product portfolio, here. #SmokingCessation #CTSI_UK #Vape #TradingStandards About Inter Scientific With our combined analytical and regulatory services, we offer a single-point solution for product compliance. Our mission is to make regulatory compliance as straightforward as possible, allowing you to unlock global markets. Inter Scientific is dedicated to providing quality scientific data and is multi-accredited against numerous international standards to ensure the highest quality, security, and data integrity. With a world-class laboratory supporting global product submissions and compliance combined with a dedicated specialist ENDS regulatory team, Inter Scientific brings innovative solutions for clients, ensuring the highest level of compliance in the UK, Europe, the US, and the Middle East. For all media enquiries, Click here.

Inter Scientific’s Regulatory Affairs Associate, Natalie Searle, discusses critical approaches to help the ongoing fight against tobacco usage. Accelerating smoking cessation activities has become critical in the ongoing fight against tobacco usage. Inter Scientific are honoured to have collaborated with Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP) in their research initiatives funded by the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW). We have explored the complex variables that affect quitting smoking, the key lessons learned from the research and the encouraging directions it points towards in the fight against the worldwide tobacco pandemic to accelerate the transition to a smoke-free future. Preventable deaths Smoking stands as the foremost cause of preventable deaths worldwide, with staggering statistics revealing that over eight million people succumb to its effects annually. Recognising the urgency of this global health crisis, the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW) funded a comprehensive investigation led by Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP) to illuminate the current landscape of smoking cessation efforts. The dual-focused approached delved into the legal framework surrounding smoking cessation interventions while also probing the efficacy of these measures. CDP sought to understand nuanced attitudes and behavioural experiences of smokers and crucial insights that would inform the design and implementation of interventions tailored to smokers’ needs. This multifaceted examination yielded invaluable insights into the complex dynamics at play in the realm of smoking cessation, laying the groundwork for more effective strategies to combat this pervasive public health challenge. Indeed, the challenge of behavioural change cannot be understated; humans are inherently complex beings and altering deeply ingrained habits such as smoking poses significant hurdles. While many smokers are motivated to break free from their tobacco dependence, they often find themselves lacking the necessary support to navigate this journey successfully. Transformative shifts It becomes evident that behavioural change is pivotal in the quest to eliminate smoking-related deaths and illnesses. Whether through complete cessation or transitioning to less harmful nicotine products, the imperative remains the same: smokers must embrace transformative shifts in their habits to safeguard their health and well-being. This aligns seamlessly with the visionary mission of the FSFW, which aims to eradicate combustible tobacco, toxic forms of tobacco, and smoking-related fatalities and diseases on a global scale, with a particular emphasis on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Less harmful alternatives to combustibles As advocates for public health and wellness, Inter Scientific urge public health officials and policymakers to take decisive action in fostering a more supportive environment conducive to motivating smokers to modify their habits. Introducing and implementing effective measures that encourage reductions in tobacco consumption, facilitate transitions to non-combustible alternatives, or support complete cessation are critical to protecting public health and our future generations. The role of industry in this endeavour is pivotal. Stakeholders must take proactive action to prioritize innovation and development to provide smokers with access to less harmful alternatives that offer a viable pathway to eventual cessation. No smoke without fire However, the aspiration of achieving a tobacco-smoke-free world within the next generation presents a formidable challenge. It necessitates the reassessment of our global approach to smoking cessation, with a renewed emphasis and education on harm reduction strategies. Accepting this paradigm change will surely be an essential first step in achieving our shared goal of a healthier, smoke-free future for future generations. Download, ‘Five approaches to improve smoking cessation outcomes and reduce tobacco harms globally’ below: