Bliley PM
Subject: Harvard Project - Dr. Gary Huber
Abstract
Reports on Dr. Huber's research findings that "rats exposed to tobacco smoke for six months developed emphysema." Notes that Huber considers this one "experimental finding" linking tobacco smoke directly to emphysema. States that these findings "are disturbing" and notes that Huber plans to not only report to the media on these findings, but also deliver a paper at the American College of Chest Physicians' meeting. Discusses Shinn's visit with Huber in order to change Huber's "perspective on the research findings and lessen Huber's inclination to interpret the results as evidence of direct cause and effect." Reports that the visit was unsuccessful. Suggests that the Tobacco Institute should prepare a "stand by release" in case Huber's paper receives attention.
Fields
- Type
- Memorandum
- Author
- Holtzman, Alexander (PM Asst General Counsel. 1975-85.)
- Recipient
- Cullman, Joseph Frederick III (PM President & CEO (1957-1970))Executive vice president and senior marketing executive of Philip Morris in the 1950s. Exec. VP 1955-57. President in 1958, held that position until 1967. Chairman from 1968-1972 and acquired title of CEO. Chairman of the Executive Committee, 1979-85. On the Board of Directors from 1954-1985.
Testified for industry
TI Communications Committee and was also a lawyer for CTR.
William W. Shinn worked for Shook, Hardy & Bacon.
TI Executive committee
Document Images
From;
Subject:
PHILIP MORRIS INCORPORATED
INTER.OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE
100 ~ Avenue, New Yock0 N~Y, 10017
Mr. Joseph F. Cullman 3rd
Alexander Holtzman
Da~e:
Harvard.Project -- Dr. Gar~ Huber
PRIVILEGED AND
CONFIDENTIAL
September 26, 1977
Several weeks ago, Bill Shinn reported to counsel
for the companies sponsoring the Harvard Project disturb-
ing news about information which Dr. Huber reported to
him in confidence about the results of an experiment in
which Huber claims that rats exposed to tobacco smoke
for six months developed emphysema. According to Shinn,
Huber considers that this is one -- if not the only --
experimental finding linking tobacco directly to
"parenchymal alterations in the lung." The quoted phrase
is the equivalent of the medical definition of emphysema.
Dr. Huber or one of his staff intend to deliver
a paper announcing these findings at a meeting of the
American College of Chest Physicians in Las Vegas in late
October. An abstract of the paper will appear in the
journal CHEST, the official publication of that organization,
some time before November i.
Shinn visited Huber in Boston a short time ago
and learned that Huber is preparing a statement for release
to the media in which he will state his view of the
importance of the work and describe further investigations
which he is planning in this field. Shinn also mentioned
the possibility that Huber might release this information
to the press in advance of the Las Vegas meeting. At the
time when Shinn first informed company counsel of this
situation at a Tobacco Institute meeting earlier this
month, there seemed to be some possibility that a visit
by Shinn to Huber might result in some better perspective
on the research findings and lessen Huber's inclination
to interpret the results as evidence of direct cause
and effect. However, Shinn reported that he did not
succeed.
It has now been suggested that The Tobacco Institute
prepare a stand by press release in the event the paper
does receive attention in lay media and the Institute is
working on such a release.
There are several reasons why the press may not
consider this information especially newsworthy and it is
possible that the paper will receive relatively little attention.
Nevertheless, Tom Ahrensfeld and I thought it would be
advisable to inform you of the situation at this time and
we shall keep you advised of ~~ther developments.
cc: G. Weissman Ale~r Holtzman
R. Millhiser
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