Tobacco Documents Online

Reader's categorization [caption] The copy only advertisement appeared in newspapers and magazines from March to June 1985 (Figure 1). On June 16, 1985, the FTC issued a complaint against RJR, alleging that "Of cigarettes and science" falsely and mistakenly represents, that the purpose of the MR FIT study was to determine whether heart disease is caused by cigarette smoking, that the MR FIT study provides credible scientific evidence that smoking is not as hazardous as the public or the reader has been led to believe, and that the MR FIT study tends to refute the theory that smoke-[missing text] Figure 1. "Of cigarettes and science." Of cigarette and science. This is the way science is supposed to work. A scientist observes a certain set of facts. To explain these facts, the scientist comes up with a theory. Then, to check the validity of the theory, the scientist performs an experiment. If the experiment yields positive results, and is duplicated by other scientists, then the theory is supported. If the experiment produces negative results the theory is re-examined, modified or discarded. But, to a scientist, both positive and negative results should be important. Because both produce valuable learning. Now let's talk about cigarettes. You probably know about research that links smoking to certain diseases. Coronary heart disease is one of them. Much of this evidence consists of studies that show a statistical association between smoking and the disease. But statistics themselves cannot explain why smoking and heart disease are associated. Thus, scientist have developed a theory; that heart diseased is caused by smoking. Then they performed various experiments to check this theory. We would like to tell you about one of the most important of these experiments. A little-known study It was called the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MR FIT). In the words of the Wall Street Journal, it was "one of the largest medical experiments ever attempted." Funded by the Federal government, it cost $115,000,000 and took 10 years, ending in 1982. The subjects were over 12,000 men who were thought to have a high risk of heart disease because of three risk factors that were statistically associated with this disease: smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Half of the men received no special medical intervention. The other half received medical treatment that consistently reduced all three risk factors, compared with the first group. It was assumed that the group with lower risk factors would overtime, suffer significantly fewer deaths from heart disease than the higher risk factor group. But that is not how it turned out. After 10 years, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the number of heart disease deaths. The theory persists We at R. J. Reynolds do not claim this study proves that smoking doesn't cause heart disease. But we do wish to make a point. Despite the results of MR FIT and other experiments like it, many scientists have not abandoned or modified their original theory, or re-examined its assumptions. They continue to believe these factors cause heart disease. But it is an opinion. A judgement. But not scientific fact. We believe in science. That is why we continue to provide funding for independent research into smoking and health. But we do not believe there should be one set of scientific principles for the whole world, and a different set for experiments involving cigarettes. Science is science. Proof is proof. That is why the controversy over smoking and health remains an open one. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company