Jump to:

Bliley TI

[Letter Regarding Changes in CTR Administration and Governance to Enhance Its Appearance of Independence]

Date: 23 Apr 1990
Length: 3 pages
15297-15299
Jump To Images
bliley_ti 00000053-00000055

Abstract

Reviews possible changes to Council for Tobacco Research (CTR) to enhance appearance of "the true independence and objectivity of [its] scientific research effort" for jurors and public. Covers: (1) possible name change to reflect "the basic biological research which CTR is sponsoring and has been sponsoring for some time"; (2) inclusion of industry scientists and non-industry affiliated members on Board of Directors; CTR leadership; and (3) public relations to communicate CTR's accomplishments. Attaches "a brief portion of a possible plaintiff's opening statement dealing with the CTR issues discussed in this letter (attachment missing; see Bates 15300).

Fields

Named Organization
Board of Directors
Council for Tobacco and Biomedical (Biological) Research
Council for Tobacco Research
CTR
General Counsel
Lorillard Inc. (American cigarette manufacturer)
American cigarette manufacturer
SAB
Scientific Advisory Board
Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Named Person
Edell
Senkus, M.
Keyword
10230706
Type
Letter
Copied
Spears, A. Dr.
Cherry, J.R. Esq.
Sirridge, Patrick M. (Attorney, Shook, Hardy and Bacon)
Author
Wall, C.R.
Recipient
Stevens, Arthur Joseph (LOR Sr. VP '89-95 and TI Communications)
Served on Lorillard Board of Directors 1985-92, was Senior Vice President from 1989 to 1995, served as General Counsel for Lorillard '93-95. Served on Tobacco Institute Communications Committee.
Subject
Diseases
industry sponsored research
public relations
Tobacco industry scientists
tobacco industry structure

Document Images

Text Control

Highlight Text:

OCR Text Alignment:

Image Control

Image Rotation:

Image Size:

Page 1: 00000053
~ ." ~.~.~...,- ; LAW OFFICES SHOO LHARI & BACON • ~:~e~ ~ ~ (el~ 47~ "~ April 23, 1990 Produced _P~EG~'~~ __ ~A ~" - Arthur J. Stevens, Esq. Senior Vice President - General Co~sel ~bu~ ~:,ue ~ "L ~ Ph;~- .q" % ~Y98 ~ . ~rillard Tobacco Company One Park Avenue Eighteenth Floor New York, NY 10016-5895 Dear A~ur: I am ~iting to review the points I made during our recent discussion of ~. I ~derstand that you have no probl~with some t~e of n~e change to reflect the basic biological research which CTR is sponsoring and has been sponsoring for some time. I agree wi~ those who feel the na~ Tobacco should be left in the title. Perhaps some~ing on the order of the Council for Tobacco and Biomedical (Biological) Research is appropriate. ~ issue still apparentl~ exists with regard to the m~ership of the Board of Directors.- First, I think all companies should be encouraged to have one of their senior scientis~ on the Board; Lorillard already has this. Second, the appearance of independ~ce and hence scientific merit will be enhanced if several meters of t~e Board have no ties to ~e indust~. As you ~ow, one of the objectives of Edell, and I am sure other plaintiffs' la~ers, has been and will be, to make it appear ~at C~ and the SAB are no~ing more than tools or mouthpieces for the indust~. This objective is easier to accomplish if the Board is comprised of nothing but indust~ exe~tives. Most jurors understand that a Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for the ~nning of a corporation and for dete~ining its goals, activities and strategies. Despite s~stantial evidence to the contra~, it is difficult for jurors to accept that a scientific adviso~ board is an~hing more than that -- an adviso~ board which can ~ but not decide on the activities of the co~oration. It is especially difficult for a ju~ to believe that an indust~, as belea~ered * I am enclosing a brief portion of a possible plaintiff's opening statement dealing with the CTR issues discussed in this letter. TIMN 0015297
Page 2: 00000054
PRIVILEGED Arthur J. Stevens, Esq.~oduced as requ~ed by the CouPs M~ch ~ 1998 Order Aprilpage 223' 1990 S~te of M~esot~ et al. ~ Phi~p Mo~ et ~ Co.File No.:C1-94-8565 as the tobacco indust~, is ~ap~le of letting scientists spend money freely on research which could fu~her implicate its pr~ucts in dea~ and disease causation. Because of this perception, I believe several ac~owledged business leaders, educators or leaders of other professions would lend consider~le cred~ility to our position -- a position which we in the indust~ ~ow to be t~e. They would provide voices of independence and respect for jurors to hear. I view the risks, if any, as minimal while the benefits may be s~stantial. At one time, in the early days of C~, it may have been impo~ant to have a foyer indust~ executive sere as chai~an of the C~. I ~estion whe~er that is so today. ~ effective president can ~n the a~inistration of C~. ~ effective Scientific Director and staff can handle the day to day scientific affairs i.e., a~inistering and reviewing the research grant program and making sure the SAB perfo~s its functions of decision-making with regard to grant applications. ~at this proposal does accomplish is to remove another and an unnecessa~badge of indust~ involv~ent. As it stands today, plaintiffs can point to the chai~an, a foyer indust~executive and often a la~er, as ano~er example of the indust~'s control over CTR. After all, jurors are conditioned to view the chai~an as the CEO responsible to the Board for seeing to it that the shareholders' (the individual tobacco companies) interests are protected and the board's e~ectations fulfilled. Is the current situation really wo~h that misapprehension? I do not think so, and encourage the abolis~ent of this sinecure. If it is felt that a chai~an is needed to preside over board meetings, then I urge that the position be rotated among meters of the board or, better yet, let the president preside without a vote. In talking wi~ Murray, I am convinced that a p~lic relations fi~has been suggested only as a way for info~al advice to be given to interested meters as to how the work of the C~ may be better understood by the p~lic and scientific co~uni~. As you and I ~ow, a great deal of independent and outstanding scientific research has been supposed by C~ for over 30 years. This effo~, and the results, should be widely ~o~. The ~estion is, how can this best be accomplished? Perhaps a p~lic relations fi~ can make wo~hwhile suggestions. None of us should shy away from the use of p~lic relations plans as effective means to co~unicate wi~ ce~ain constituencies. Others are using p~lic co~unications effectively, so should CTR. There is a great and, I might add, accurate sto~ about CTR which should be told. I make these suggestions because I believe they will make it easier for us to accurately po~ray, in the courtroom, just what C~ i~ and what i£ d~es. ~ence, ik will be more difficult TIMN 0015298
Page 3: 00000055
O0 H_Am aBACON Arthur J. Stevens Esq. April 23, 1990 ' PRIVILEGED AND CON~DEN~qAL Page 3 ~oduced as requ~ed by the Coup's March ~ 1998 Order State of Minnes~ et ~. ~ Phi~p Morris, et al. Court F~e No.: C1-9@8565 for plaintiffs ~o m~scharac~er£ze the t~e ~ndependence and objectivity of the scientific research effort. Best personal regards. Sincerely, Charles R. Wall CRW/jj Enclosure co: Dr. Alexander Spears James R. Cherry, Esq. Patrick M. Sirridge, Esq. 1023o7o~ TIMN 0015299

Text Control

Highlight Text:

OCR Text Alignment:

Image Control

Image Rotation:

Image Size: