Tobacco Documents Online

.A 1. Questions to be asked fnr the European assessment of epidemiologicall reportsedited Iby the US EPA. Prof. Dr. Peter ATTESLANDER: (1)The assessment of the exposures in studies of such type i~s mainly done by quesbi+onnaites: Are the questions used validated and~ & they take account of the culitural differences which one finds when pooling together studf es of different geographical origin ? (2) ~ What could be possible : confounders which strongly influence the valf dity of the results ?' Is it possible : in principle to: evaluate by an instrument such as a questionnaire all lifestyle factors which are known to contribute to the development of certain diseases ? (3) What is the effect if the answers to the questionnaires is not given by the persons directly involved but by the next of kin ? How does the combination of unprecise instruments (error probability in exposure, diagnosis,, and overall lack of precision in the registrars of different geographical regions) influence the conclusions taken to: quantify very small' excess risks ?" ProL Dr. Anthony FLEW: (1) Is this type of epidemiiology fit to quantify very smalll excess risks ? Is a development meaningful which brings up more and more risks of less and less magnitude thus frightening the population ? (2) Couldl one quantify the danger that possible confounding factors are used ini favour of a preconceived opinion to reach some politically facourable goals ? (3) Are: such types of epidemiological reports useful to~ take far-reaching decisiions about the future lifestyle of the population at large ?