Anne Landman's Collection
Some Comments About the CTR Program
Abstract
This personal and confidential Philip Morris (PM) memo was used as a trial exhibit in the Minnesota and Boeken cases. In it, the Director of Research at PM, Dr. Thomas Osdene writes to Dr. R. B. Seligman (Vice President of Research and Development at PM) criticizing the research results emanating from the Council for Tobacco Research.
Osdene complains:
"I was amazed at the trend that CTR work is taking. For openers, Dr. Donald H. Ford, a new staff member, makes the following quotes:
"Opiates and nicotine may be similar in action."
"We accept the fact that nicotine is habituating."
"There is a relationship between nicotine and the opiates."
Osdene was also concerned that yet another scientist, Dr. Leo Abood, was investigating antagonists to nicotine and that his work "could well lead to a clinically acceptable antagonist." (An antagonist in the chemical sense is defined as "that which counteracts the action of something else."* Thus Dr. Osdene was concerned that a chemcial which counteracts nicotine would be developed through CTR-funded research.
Osdene says,
"It is my strong feeling that with the progress that has been claimed, we are in the process of digging our own grave...I believe that the program as set up has the potential of great damage to the industry..."
* Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Edition 13
Fields
- Notes
CTR stands for Council for Tobacco Research (original name Tobacco Industry Research Committee), which was formed jointly by the American tobacco companies. Its mission (according to its charter) was to "aid and assist research into tobacco use and health and to make available to the public factual information on the subject."
- Quotes
PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL
To: Dr. R.B. Seligman
From: T.S. Osdene
Date: November 29, 1977
Subject: Some Comments about the CTR Program
I was amazed at the trend that the CTR work is taking. For openers, Dr. Donald H. Ford, a new staff member, makes the following quotes:
"Opiates and nicotine may be similar in action."
"We accept the fact that nicotine is habituating."
"There is a relationship between nicotine and the opiates."
Dr. Leo Abood, whose presentation showed a high degree of competence, has one of his aims a specific antagonist to nicotine. This is done by various chemical manipulations of nicotine and could well lead to a clinically acceptable antagonist.
Dr. Kreisher's work in the area of AAH, from my point of view, starts out with the proposition that smoking causes lung cancer. The rest of the work seems to justify this approach. I am very surprised about the extensive human clinical data which is now being sought and feel that after four years of this project nobody has the slightest idea where it is going, where it is, or what it is trying to prove.
It is my strong feeling that with the progress that has been claimed, we are in the process of digging our own grave. I bevlieve that the program as set up has the potential of great damage to the industry and I strongly urge that the whole relationship of our Company to CTR be carefully reveiwed. I am very much afraid that the direction of work being taken by CTR is totally detrimental to our position and undermines the public posture we have taken to outsiders.
[signed] T.S. Osdene
- Rank
- 1
- Company
- Philip Morris Cos., Inc.
- Author
- Osdene, Thomas Stefan, Ph.D. (Director of Science and Technology, Philip Morris [1986])Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry. Ten years of research when he started with PM in 1965. Worked in Chemical Research Division of PM 1965-66; Chemical and Biological Research Division 1966-69; Director of Research 1969-1984, also assumed independent position as Director of Research and Extramural Studies during these years; became Director of Science and Technology in 1984, reporting directly to Philip Morris USA Executive VP Mark Serrano. Involved with Center for Indoor Air Research (CIAR) 1988. Attended PM's Operation Downunder Conference in June, 1987. Retired 1993.
- Recipient
- Seligman, Robert B. (PM VP of R&D c. 1976-82)Vice President of Research and Development at Philip Morris Richmond, VA 1976-1982. Reported to Senior Vice President of Operations. In 1982 transferred to tobacco technology group. Wanted to share ammonia and other tobacco technology with PM International companies.
Annotations
- 1. Ford, Donald H., Ph.D. Named Person
"Opiates and nicotine may be similar in action." "We accept the fact that nicotine is habituating." "There is a relationship between nicotine and the opiates."
- 2. Kreisher, John H., Ph.D. Named Person
Seligman @PM believed Krsisher's work at CTR "started out with the proposition that smoking causes lung cancer. The rest of the work seems to justify this approach."
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