Anne Landman's Collection
Translation
Abstract
This is a translation of a letter written by a German scientist named Dietrich Schmaehl, who was performing biological research for Philip Morris in 1979 in a quest to find a "safer cigarette." Schmaehl was doing experiments to determine the carcinogenic effect of the smoke condensates from specific brands of cigarettes.
Philip Morris threatened to cut off Schmaehl's funding. After finding this out, Schmael wrote to Dr. Franz Adlkofer (presumably his boss), "In our conversation it was argued that the Industry could not support such experiments since this might prove that the previously manufactured products have a carcinogenic effect and that such experiments could especially not be supported because they would be financed with Industry funds. I am totally unable to follow these arguments."
Schmaehl in no uncertain terms threatened that if his funding was cut off, he would continue performing the investigations on his own and publish the results, naming the brands (currently on the market) that he used in the experiments:
"I want to tell you again that in case this project...is refused support by the Industry, I will carry out such investigations in my Institute on my own account; in that case I will, in my publication of this work, call a 'spade a spade'; this means I will name the brands currently on the market which were used to prepare the smoke condensates."
According to another internal memo from Alex Holtzman (PM Assistant General Counsel) to Thomas Osdene (Director of Research) about Schmael's letter, PM clearly considered Schmaehl's threats blackmail, but decided to fund his work anyway to keep him quiet. Holtzman says, "I do feel that this letter is tantamount to blackmail by Schmaehl . I am very much afraid that unless financial support be provided to Schmaehl he will chastise the industry." That memo can be seen at http://www.pmdocs.com/getallimg.asp'if=avpidx&DOCID=1000774066
Fields
- Quotes
TO: A Holztman From: Donald H. Hoel
October 12, 1979
TRANSLATION
Dear Dr. Adlkofer:
This letter refers to the conversation that you and I had on September 27th, 19779, with Dr.s Koenig and Brueckner and in which we discussed the for me essential experiments on dose effect relationships of high tar cigarettes compared to low tar cigarettes. Such experiments are completely indispensable in the arguments on a safer cigarette, especially if one supports such efforts publicly.
In our conversation it was argued that the Industry could not support such experiments since this might prove that the previously manufactured products have a carcinogenic effect and that such experiments could especially not be supported because they would be financed with Industry funds. I am totally unable to follow these arguments. Especially since, for example, in the former Dontenwill Institute such dose effect relationships were already investigated and were financed by the Industry. The same applies to the detailed investigations by Mr. Lee at the BAT Research Institute in England, which were likewise financed by the Industry. Therefore the arguments made by Drs. Koenig and Brueckner do not hold.
I want to tell you again thatin case this project, which is essential from my point as well as for other members of the Research Advisory Board, is refused support by the Industry, I will carry out such investigations in my Institute on my own account; in that case I will, in my publication of this work, call a "spade a spade"; this means I will name the brands currently on the market which were used to prepare the smoke condensates. ---------------
Dr. Schmaehl uses a German colloquialism which literally translates "I shall clearly identify horse and rider," which in German is --at least implicitly--a bit more threatening that just naming brand names. ----------------------- It is self evident that if such experiments are carried outin Heidelberg, they will be done without being influenced by the Scientific Advisory Board or by your industry, and that I will only test what interests me, i.e., the dose-response relationships of the different amounts of condensates, without testing questions you are interested in, i.e., the effect of nicotine.
These experiments which I want to carry out and which I have requested you to approve for me to do for about one and a half years, will help to prove the correctness of the approach taken by the Scientific Advisory Board with reference to the promotion of low tar cigarettes. I am totally at a loss to understand that these arguments are not accepted by the Industry, because they are designed to show that we are on the way to produce something better. Your attitude would indicate a willingness on the part of the Industry to no longer follow this approach which the Industry itself had participated in initiating and had promoted and supported...
- Company
- Philip Morris (Altria Group)
- Author
- Schmaehl, Dietrich (Researcher for Philip Morris biological labs in Europe, c. 1)
- Recipient
- Adlkofer, Franz (VDC Research Director)Argued in a 1988 joint meeting of the worldwide tobacco companies that the industry should stop developing "marketable science" for use in public relations to fight the secondhand smoke issue and instead should establish a safe threshold for exposure to secondhand smoke. (Bates No. 2021548222/8235)
- Region
- Europe
- Named Organization
- BAT Research Inst
- Dontenwill Inst
- Research Advisory Board
- Scientific Advisory Board
- PM, Philip Morris
- Dontenwill Inst
- Litigation
- Stmn/Produced
- Named Person
- Holtzman, Alexander (PM Asst General Counsel. 1975-85.)
- *Brueckner, Ernst (use Bruckner, Ernst, Dr.) (Deputy Secretary General)
1989 West Germany- Koenig
- Lee
- Schmaehl, Dietrich (Researcher for Philip Morris biological labs in Europe, c. 1)
- Hoel, Donald K. (CTR Industry Research Committee & PM Attorney, Shook Hardy)
Donald Hoel was an attorney with Philip Morris' law firm Shook Hardy and Bacon (SHB). He served as a member of the CTR Industry Research Committee in 1978?. Hoel assisted in screening "apppropriate" projects to received CTR funding. - *Brueckner, Ernst (use Bruckner, Ernst, Dr.) (Deputy Secretary General)
- Type
- LETT, LETTER
- Subject
- research activity
- safer cigarette
- carcinogen
- safer cigarette
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