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Berkson, Joseph, M.D.

(CTR Special Projects, Biostatistician, Mayo Clinic) Wrote articles and letter expressing doubt that there was any real connection between cigarette smoking and cancer.

Joseph Berkson, M.D. served on the Statistics committee of the American Cancer Society and was Emeritus staff at the Mayo Clinic c. 1968 in the section of Medical Research Statistics. In 1957 he wrote letters entered into the Congressional record, "Important Information Concerning Lung Cancer" doubting the connection between smoking and cancer. Was quoted in Liggett & Myers' 1957 Annual Report to say, "...the evidence, taken as a whole, does not establish, on any reasonable scientific basis, that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer." He was also CTR Special Projects Researcher. (NM)