[ RadSafe ] It pays to question the media

[Fred Dawson]

I recently had cause to complain to the BBC about an article on their news 
web site about Iraq, the environment and depleted uranium. The original 
article contained a photograph of a child with an eye tumour suggesting a 
link between the tumour and exposure to depleted uranium. I complained on 
the basis that there was no evidence to support the link between depleted 
uranium and eye tumours.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4425562.stm

The BBC acknowledged my point and changed the caption on the photograph in 
question, here is their reply

Dear Mr Dawson

Thank you for your e-mail regarding BBC News Online.  May I start by
apologising for the delay in replying.  We know our correspondents expect a
swift response and I am sorry that you have had to wait so long on this
occasion.

I rasied your concerns about the picture and caption which accompanies the
'UN warns on Iraq environment fate' piece with BBC News Online.  They
explained that the picture of Alla Saleem was supplied to the BBC as one of
a number of cases at Gazwan hospital in Basra which doctors have attributed
to depleted uranium shells used by coalition forces.   However, as the
article itself does not mention the particular case of Alla Saleem they
have decided, to amend the caption to a more general point about Iraqi
health.

The picture caption has now been changed from "Alla Saleem developed an eye
tumour linked to depleted uranium (Pic: 2001)" to "Iraqi doctors say cancer
cases have increased, especially among children".

Thank you again for contacting the BBC.

Yours sincerely

Stewart McCullough
Divisional Advisor
BBC Information


---Original Message---


{Comments:}
Please can you provide evidence to support your claim in the report on
the News WWW site
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4425562.stm releating to
Iraq that 'la Saleem developed an eye tumour linked to depleted uranium'


To the best of my knowledge there is no scientific or factual basis for
this assertion
{EndofComments:}


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fwp_dawson at hotmail.com