Tobacco Documents Online

cf3..77. w C t FOR: TOBACCO INDUSTRY RESEARCH CONMITTEE r{.g . . FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 29, 1960 r . . -...-;.r-. 0 a; {+ V ;.NEFI DIRECTION FOR TOBACCO-HEALTH'RESEARCH IN `61, , ~ . ,.~ . , 1 .. .. ,., . • , . .1 ~. ... ,.. ~..-. . . . ~ .. , . ~' :. ; . . ~ . . ....-q • t .~~A , *.5r :t{r { ~z) x SAYS CHAIRMAN'OF TOBACCO INDUSTRY RESEARCH COMMITTEE 'c``. Y~~)j r~y,,;tHew York Research on tobacco and health will get nev direction'' t~Afr~~ ~,and emphasis in 1961, the Tobacco .Industry Research Committee said today. Fhture research will concentrate'on trying to determine how lung a : .. , -r-eancer and heart disease originate, since years of research have o cancer cancaused by contact with tobacc be nshow that lung failed t ` y ~o „ : smoke," according to Timothy V. Hartnett, chairman of TIRC. ' ~ Greater knowledge about the origins of these diseases "should ~Yl enable science to determine what part, if any, smoking plays," Mr. Hartnett , t said. "It may be, for e::ample, that smoking merely reflects some ' t ,..,, . . , • characteristic of a type of person who is prone to cancer or heart disease.," CJ: . . - . . , . . ,. . . . , ~; . . . " . . ''r~ ; Mr.' Hartnett noted that "research done by other organizations and' * individualis also seems to be taking on this new approach." .'•. : .'~l ! - . . . .. . .- . . _-. . . .. "The one fact that is abundantly clear from the research done -.: 6'. throughaut the world is this While science has learned a great deal, ~ :r: a . .. ~ . .. __ , .. . .. .t . y .'~' . ~_''` ~he basic causes of lung cancer !-- and heart disease -- are not known - -_. ,,. :, , .. . . . ... " Much more research is needed," he saidi. ., , . : . ~. :. , .:. _ "• t 31 :- , _. Mr. Hartnett cited several important areas for future research: -."the possible role of viruses as a cancer cause; constitutional differences ~, between smokers and non-smokers; the role of previous infections,Csuch as ~. tuberculosis; and air pollution. The TIRC makes grants to independent scientists studying tobacco an&healt'h,. Grants are determined'by a Scientific Adui'sory Board to the TIRC. To date, the Committee has appropriated $4 million and has awarded grants to 105'independent scientists throughout the country. (A copy of Mr. Hartnett's statement is attached) -XXX- C 0 N 44