Tobacco Documents Online

r ® '5 YCBS TQBACCO I14DU8M RBB?ARCB CClM3TEE r CF1 RELUM IN TW-EMD ZMTIMS BVP 194T BEd'ORE MCF.MBER 27. 1Q54 BTATBKMU BY M0THY V. BARR7tiZZT, CEAII{MAA TO$ACCO ]7w8TRX RLSLIRCB CWlb3'R~E By the end of 1954, the Tobacco Industry Reaearcb Coffiittee vill have approved about a quarter of a xillion dollars for specific sciesrtific research prosects into public health problems. Dur7.ng the early part of 1955, this amouvt should be at least ssatebed again in saore grants actual.l,y seads to doctors and scientists, hospitals and researeb institutions. This is one aeasure of the strides sssde by the Tobacco Industry Researcb Ccn:mittee toward fulfi]ling its pledge to the Asaerican people zade last January. That pledge vas to sposv or independent scientific re- searcb into tobacco use and bealtb and to take the Zacte knoun to the public. I visb to give ful]U credit for this progress to the 8cientific Advisory Board yhich is developing and supervising the research program for the Coamittee. This group nov tnmbere nine doctors and scientists vbose eminence in'theirrespective fields is of the highest. The Cbairaan is Dr. Cle.rence Cook Little, director of the Roscoe B. Jackson Memorial laboratory at Bar Barbor, 34sine, and a scientist of international reputa- tion in the fields of 9ducation and research. These men are generopely devoting their time, experience and scientific talents to advance basic and practical research in the field of health.- 11311164 r z.e. (IS )- CTR 11N 04,3151

.2. The American pnblic abould be no less grateful tLan the members of the Tobacco Industry Research Cornittee for the guidance and lbader- ship of the Scientiiic Ad.isory Board in the search tor solutions of some of our more difficult public health problems. Baring been given a free band in their work, the Bcientiiie Ad- visory Board tacYled the tasY ot developing a sotmd research progrsm. This ia nov vell under vay through projects in some of our outstanding institutions of education and researeh. Additional gisnts are being made on a continuing basis upon advice d this Board. The 8cientitic Adrisory noard's eaL and detached spproach to a diSticult problao of broad pubiie interest is in contrast with some of the extremist attacks upon tobacco ns.. I aa not referring to vell-meaning scientific reports that contribute to the knavledge w all are seeking. I refer to the campaign of te+ar in rhich inconclusive findirgs are being used as a springboard for sveeying and uavarranted opinions that sre frankly aimed at creating a'scsv oas,aign" arnoag the public. Each generation for the part tew eenturies ha bad its sbars of extremists who bsve tried to pia p:actically a1l'tbe world's ills oa tobacco. A facts were developed, ome charge aiter another vas disproved and dropped. hrom the outset, hovever, the Tobacco Industry Research Committee recogniied that its proper function is not to engage in controversy vith perennial critics of tobacco. The Comittee stated elearly at the tiae that "the fact that cigarette rmoking should rven be suspected as a cause of serious disease is a matter of deep concern to us." We r.ceBnised it vas eu ential to encourage scientists to search out the facts andl~/lay these before the public. 7 z 11311165 r r..'' I l l l l I 7 043152 ~

-3- I In taking this covrse, we beeded the advice ot scientists Vho aesured u that statistieal aaociations ver., at best, emly suggestive and that there vas no clinical or laboratory eridence that could sustify conclusions as to any single cause oaf lung cancar. Xhat vas needed, ve rere told, vas sound, objective research into the problem. The events of the past year relating to the issue of tobacco use and health baTe re-enphaeised the tact that scientilic opinion is not at all agreed as to what relationship, if any, tbere is betveen saoicing and cancer or any other healtb problem. Those who maintain there is such a relationsbip rel,y alssost entirely on statistical aesociatioas which, in themselv.., are irequently conflicting. It is clear that there is no con- elusive clinical or ezperimental evidence that contirms eay cause and effect relatioaship. It is gratifying tYst public response, as beasured by reaction of the press, nsagaeines, and radio-TV, has been approving oS our afforts to g.t at tbe facts and of tbe soundness o2 tbe research program developed by the Scientific Adrisory Board. The public can be usured that one certain result of the researcb program of the Tobacco Industry Research Cosmittes tri.71 be to contribute to the general knovledge od cause and control of health problems that are of concern to all. -o- 11311166 r k K CI ~ J C~T R IN 0 43 15 3