Tobacco Documents Online

° Lillian F. Blacker ' News Office Director (617) 732-1590 r 31 RELEASE ..March 21, 1977._ . . . : ~ . , .. ,. • ,. . 1 35 SHAT'rtlcL $TREET$OROH, MAdS. o2(f5..~.- Gary Huber, Director of a research program at Harvard Medical School "HARVARD UNIVERSITY NEWS OFFICE FOR THE btEIDICAL AREA designed to clarify the relationship between the use of tobacco and health, e expressed his appreciatiomtoday for the continuation of support provided by seven tobac- o co companies and an association of tobacco growers. The researchers are attempting to.determine whether tobacco smoking can be shown to have influence on the development of a number of diseases which have been statistically associated with smoking. The funds will enable them to continue their research for the next three years. supplemental funding of the current program, will bring the total amount provided over an eight year period to $5 million. This represents the largest single grant by the tobacco industry to any university for health $2.8 million from the tobacco industry. The extension, together with research. has been, for example, criticism that some of these studies tended to minimize t Dr. Huber stated, "For many years the public and the scientific commun- ity have encountered a variety of studies about smoking and health. There any hazards associated with smoking and that others tended to exaggerate them. "There are over 600 billion cigarettes sold in this country per year, O L~ ~ representing more than 4000 cigarettes for every adult. With so many people .a . !~ aS smoking, it is of the utmost importance that questions relating tobacco and ~ ,t health be studied.

"The investigators participating in the Harvard research program believe that there is both a scientific and social responsibility to help . ,:resolve the many questions and differences of opinion that continue to "We have gathered a team of investigators that can attack these ,difficult problems with a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach. research to date has concentrated on clarifying the pathophysiologic responses of the lung and cardiovascular system to tobacco smoke inhalation." The grant currently supports 12 Harvard investigators and their . associated technical personnel. :Investigations will be carried out in both the basic sciences and in applied clinical research. In addition to tobacco smoke, the program is evaluating a variety of constitutional host defense factors and environmental factors that may be important in the development of respiratory and cardiovascular disease. The tobacco industry, funding includes $200,000 for the Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical .,. L., ., School to help support teaching and clinical training in the area of respiratory diseases. Dr. Huber, in addition to his role as principal investigator in this research program, is Chief of the Respiratory Disease Unit at Beth Israel Hospital, one of Harvard University's affiliated teaching institutions. He is also President of the New England Chapter of the American College of Chest Physicians; a Trustee of the American Lung Association in Boston and a National Delegate to the American Heart Association. Dr. Huber has served on several advisory and consulting canmittees to the National .

Institutes of Health. He is senior editor of the journals Chest and Heart and Lung, as well as a contributing editor to several other scientific Dr. Franklin Epstein, Herman L. Blumgart Professor of The grantors are AmericamBrands, Inc.; Brown & Williamson Tobacco Inc.; Philip Morris Incorporated; R. J. Reynolds Industries, Inc.; United ,.; .. States Tobacco Company; and Tobacco Associates, Inc., an organization of Corporation; Liggett Group, Inc.; Lorillard, a Division of Loews Theatres, tobacco growers, dealers and warehousemen. - 30 -

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