Tobacco Documents Online

III da ' ROH: °~wZLLIr~M saZrrN `i'4"`F $ ~ ~~ ~~,~ ,~: " ~ 5,;~; Terry'Hamann; Dr.s Huber's secretary, called today to F~." say that the Harvard University press release on the extension for support of the research program at Harvard was released as of this 'date."'` The following is a copy of the release as information was '~received over the telephone. tTPi, AT, Time, Newsweek, Wall Street '!Journal, etc. ha.'.v!e been sent a copy of the release according to ;Terry.~'The hea g on the release is Harvard University news office for the ~ical area. The news office director is Lillian ;F.°8lacker (617ik,732-1590). Terry expected the story to be in late evening newspapers today. She is to send copies of the release by FFederal Express to me. We will forward copies to you by the same method as soon as received. However, these ill probably not "arrive in your offices until Wednesday or Thsday. ` ~ ..,.. -~,` ~ Dr. Huber is out of the country for the next two or three weeks but wanted to be sure that you had notice that the press re- lease was released as of today. k 9,7im a. Dr. Gary Huber, Director of a researO prog am at Harvard Medical School. desiqned to clarify the relationship ~tween the :4ly associated with smoking. The funds will enable them to continue ~.;the development of a number of diseases which have been statistical- ;~ determine whether tobacco smoke can be shown to have influence on / = continuation of support provided by seven tobacco companies and an _1,-~association of Tobacco Growers. The researchers are attempting to A use of tobacco and health, expressed his appreciation today for the his research for the next three years. industry to any University for health research. _`The program was started in 1972 with an initial five-ye~ ' grant of $2.8 million from the tobacco industry. The extension, ` together with 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 some of these studies tended to minimize any hazards associated \, smoking and health. There has been, for example, criticism that ~ > scientific community have encountered a variety of studies about I ` " Dr. Huber stated: "For many years the public and the ' importance that questions relating to tobacco and health be studied. every adult. With so many people smoking, it is of the utmost :this country per year representing more than 4,000 cigarettes for "There are over six hundred billion cigarettes sold in ,with smoking and that others tended to exaggerate them. C W

Pa (a M :O ~., Z The investigators participating in the Harvard Research d rogram believe that there is both a scientific and social responsi- bility to.help resolve the many questions and differences of opinion that continue to exist on this subject.• Our commitment is to objective data that will help clear up this controversy. We have 'tried to develop;a research program that will provide such informa- s tion .. ~_ • ,,: •iJe have'gathered a team of investigators that can attack these difficult'~problems with a comprehensive multidisciplinary * approach. Our research to date has concentrated on clarifying the ..pathophysiologic responses of the lung and cardiovascular system to tobacco smoking'inhalation.' 4 ~ The grant currently supports twelve 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 School to help support teaching and clinical training in the area of :respiratory disease. '~Dr. Huber, in addition to his role as principal investi- ~gator in this research program, is Chief of the Respiratory Diseases ~~: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 "advisatory and consultating committees 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 publications. Dr. Franklin Epstein, Herrman L. Blumgart Professor of Medicine at Harvard, is the Project Consultant. The grantors are American Brands, Inc.; Brown 6 Williamson r Tobacco Corporation; Liggett Group Inc.; Lorillard, a division of Loews Theatres, Inc.; Philip Morris Incorporated; R. J. Reynolds ;FIndustries, Inc.; United States Tobacco Company; and Tobacco Associates, Inc., an organization of tobacco growers, dealers and warehousemen. -2- .............................................---......... G W