Tobacco Documents Online

I I r I I t I I i i L I I I L L -TheTlobacco Institute believes theAmerican public is entitled to complete,authenticated information about cigarette smoking and health. TheAmericanCancer Society does not seem to agree. Is the public entitled to com- plete, authenticated information about research on cigarette smoking and health? The Tobacco Institute thinks it is; the American Cancer Society apparently thinks it is not. The Tobacco Institute has re- cently challenged the Cancer Soci- ety on a matter of importance to the public-and the public health. The Cancer Society has not accepted this challenge. On February 5, the Cancer Soci- ety called a press conference in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City t'o discuss a research project titled, "The Effects of Cigarette Smoking Upon Dogs." Through the efforts of the Cancer Society, the public was led to believe that this experiment is a landmark achieve- ment' which, for the first time, dem, onstrates that lung cancer, resem- bling lung cancer in humans„can be produced in animals with cigarette smoke. The Cancer Society claimed that this result': refutes the contention of the tobacco industry that'there is~no laboratory, proof of a connection between cigarette smoking,and lung cancer. The Society also said that the findings should have an impact oncigarettte smoking and should re- sult in a reassessment of the adver- tising claims and policies of the to- bacco industry. The Tobacco Institute does not -and the public should not-accept these claims at face value. Here are the reasons: 1. The present accounts of this study are based solely upom infor- mation and interpretations provided to the press. The study has not been published~ in any scientific journal. The findings were not'subjected, as such findings normally are, to rigor- ous independent scientific review. 2. This history of t'obacco and health research contains many ex- amples of experiments which were initially hailed~ as scientific break- throughs, but on later evaluation proved to be of little significance. Unfortunately, the initial and pre- mature announcement of these ex- periments makes news, but the later criticism of the work rarely comes to public attention. 3. The Tobacco Institute has requested the Cancer Society, im writing, to permit a thorough inde- pendent evaluation of the experi- ment and its results; We said we would propose as reviewers men of outstand'ing competence and integ- rity, with wide experience in areas relevant to the data, who, we be- lieved, would be t'horoughly accept- able to the Society. We also stated that if the Society should, for good reasons reject any scientist we pro- pose, we would nominate a substi- tute. Finally, we offered to bear all costs needed for this independent analysis. The Cancer Society has twice re- jected this proposal-in letters dated March 12 and April 17. We continue to hope that the American Cancer Society will per- mit the examination of this work in the manner we have proposed. If the study is as important as the Can- cer Society has represented' it to be, the Society should have no hesita- tion in submitting if for review. The tobacco industry recognizes and accepts a responsibility to pro- mote the progress of independent scientific research in the field of to- bacco and health. In discharging that': responsibility, we believe that' the industry has spent, and conti- nues to spend, more money for such research than any organization in the United States. If the Cancer Society continues to deny access to this recent work, we believe this will', serve as convinc- ing evidence to the public, lay and'~ scientific, that the data will not sup- port the allegations made at the So- ciety's Waldorf' Astoria conference. 1005091'726 We will be pleased to send thecomplete text of all'correspondenceon this matter between the CancerSociety and The Tobacco Institute to any interested individual or group. TheTobaccolnstitute ; 1776 K Street, N.W, Washington, D.C. 20006