No subject
Wed May 18 15:38:07 CDT 2011
was appreciated by the nuclear industry and their friends. They =
absolutely could not have independent laboratories measuring food and =
causing political problems. When this began, back in August, many people =
wrote to me and warned me that James Ryan was some kind of operator =
employed by the nuclear industry to draw me into a situation that would =
damage my credibility. But I thought this wasn=92t so: and I welcomed =
anyone in Japan who had the guts to actually do something for the =
children rather than moan. Ryan=92s son is gravely ill as a result of =
some medical error and this is why he wanted to do something to prevent =
others having to live with children who were sick because of the =
radiation. And even if he were an operator, I thought that the publicity =
around the supplements might cause people to consider taking them. And I =
was correct. It has. And this will save lives. Make no mistake. And =
this is worth more than my credibility.
This is why I allowed him to use my name. But as time progressed, Ryan =
was attacked and it became impossible for him to officially set up the =
CBFCF. He was threatened with death and wrote to me that threats were =
made to kill his son. No pills were permitted to be imported by the =
Japanese authorities. Scientists who had agreed to be involved were =
framed and were frightened off.
The role of George Monbiot in all of this has been very questionable. =
His apparent Pauline conversion was released around the 21st March at =
the exact time that Reactor 3 melted down releasing radioactivity which =
caused the most significant increase in radiation levels in Tokyo and =
Ibaraki and was even detected in Europe. This =93white smoke=94 episode =
has been totally ignored by the IAEA and TEPCO despite the fact that the =
radiation detectors recorded the sudden increases in Ibaraki and Tokyo.=20
With regard to the Guardian article, this was a badly thought through =
and strategically foolish mistake on the part of Monbiot and his =
advisors and shows the lengths of desperation to which they have =
descended. The article has given me publicity, and the crass errors of =
scientific knowledge displayed by Monbiot=92s advisors Gerry Thomas and =
Ohtsuwa Niwa make them and the Guardian (which should have checked the =
facts) easy targets for a libel action . I attach below a letter sent to =
Gerry Thomas and to Imperial College by the Low Level Radiation =
Campaign.
Finally, I should be grateful that these pathetic attempts to destroy my =
credibility are the best that the nuclear industry and the military can =
manage: at least they haven=92t tried to kill me yet. Imagine being =
reduced to accusing me of making money out of selling useless pills: the =
whole market driven system that they are part of and fuel is based on =
exactly that type of process, and supported by a whole regiment of =
dishonest scientists!
Chris Busby
Nov 23rd 2011 =20
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Professor Gerry A Thomas
Chair in Molecular Pathology
Department of Surgery & Cancer
Imperial College London,=20
South Kensington Campus,=20
London=20
SW7 2AZ=20
By email to: geraldine.thomas at imperial.ac.uk
Dear Professor Thomas
In an article about my colleague Professor Chris Busby on page 11 of =
today's Guardian newspaper you are reported to have said that =
"radioactive elements do not bind to DNA" and that "[t]his shows how =
little [Professor Busby] understands about basic radiobiology." I would =
point out that the affinity of Uranium for DNA phosphate is well known. =
The affinity of the uranyl ion, UO2++ for Calcium Ca++ sites was known =
in the 1960s when the substance began to be employed as an electron =
microscope stain. The affinity constant was measured by Nielsen et al in =
1992 and was of the order of 1010M-1 which would suggest, in mass-action =
equilibrium terms, that at quite low concentrations (100ng/l) there is a =
significant amount of Uranium bound to the phosphate backbone of the =
DNA.
Strontium is reported to bind to chromosomes (Steffensen and LaChance =
1961, Mazia 1954)
The article reports you as describing as "ludicrous" Professor Busby's =
statements about heart disease caused by Caesium. However, research =
after the Chernobyl disaster shows that abnormalities of cardiac rhythm =
and conductivity correlated with the quantity of incorporated =
radionuclides (Bandazhevsky 1999). The incidence and persistence of =
abnormalities of cardiac rhythm were significantly higher in ischemic =
heart disease patients from contaminated territories (Arynchyna and =
Mil=92kmanovich, 1992).
You are reported to have said that none of the products referred to in =
the article is useful. I will leave aside consideration of testing for =
radioactivity since it is clear that their usefulness is a matter for =
purchasers, but with reference to the mineral supplements I would point =
out that research was conducted in the 1950s and '60s when the presence =
of Strontium-90 in weapons test fallout was a matter of political and =
scientific concern. It showed that administration of stable Calcium and =
Strontium blocks the absorption of Strontium-90 and other radioactive =
Calcium mimics. Spencer et al 1967 showed the method worked in human =
beings; Palmer et al 1958 and Kawin 1959 demonstrated that it worked in =
rats.=20
It therefore appears that all your statements, which have certainly =
caused distress and quite possibly reputational damage, are seriously in =
error. It is possible that you have been misreported and if that is the =
case I request you to communicate with the editors of the Guardian and =
ask for a correction to be printed. If you have not been misreported =
please would you ask the editors of the Guardian to print a retraction =
and please also let me have a letter or an email of apology that I can =
forward to Professor Busby who is presently out of the country. In a =
spirit of openness and scientific inquiry I also invite you to convene a =
public meeting in Imperial College where you could debate these issues =
with Professor Busby. Such an event would very rapidly show that your =
alleged claim about his understanding of basic radiobiology is very far =
from true.=20
I am copying this letter by post to the Chief Executive of Imperial =
College.=20
Yours sincerely
Richard Bramhall
References
Arynchyna, N. T. & Mil=92kmanovich, V. K. (1992). Comparison of =
circadian monitoring of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with cardiac =
ischemia living in radioactive-contaminated and clean territories of the =
southern part of Belarus. Jubilee Conference 125 Years of the Belarus =
Scientific Therapeutic Society, December 22=9623, 1992, Minsk =
(Abstracts, Minsk): pp. 75=9676.
Bandazhevsky,Yu. I. (1999). Pathology of Incorporated Ionizing =
Radiation. Belarus Technical University, Minsk.
Kawin B (1959) Effects of stable Calsium and Strontium on deposition of =
Ca45 and Sr90 in bone. Experientia XV/8 313-314
Mazia D 1954 Untitled in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences =
40: 521.=20
Nielsen P E, Hiort C, Sonnichsen S O, Buchardt O, Dahl O, Norden B, =
(1992) DNA binding and photocleavage by Uranyl VI salts. J. Am. =
Chem.Soc. 114: 4967-4975.
Palmer RF, Thompson RC and Kornberg HA (1958) Effect of Calcium on =
Deposition of Ca45 and Sr90 in rats. Science 127 1515-6
Steffensen D and LaChance LE (1961) Untitled in J Caldecott and R Snyder =
(eds.) Radioisotopes in the Biosphere 132
Spencer H, Lewin L and Samachson J (1967) Effect of stable Strontium on =
radioStrontium excretion in man. Radiation Research 31 876-888
c.c. Mark Davies
Chief Executive's Office
St Mary's Hospital
The Bays
South Wharf Road
London W2 1NY
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at agni.phys.iit.edu on behalf of Stewart Farber
Sent: Thu 24/11/2011 18:06
To: 'The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing =
List'
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Japanese media coverage about "Useless" and =
Overpriced Anti-Radiation Pills "
=20
Hello everyone,
=20
Some more well-deserved negative news coverage from a publication =
regarding Japan [ Japanprobe.com] is seen below [ adding to stories in =
the past few days from the Guardian [England], and Forbes ] about Dr. =
Chris Busby , commenting as this Japanese news coverage site terms the: =
=20
" "Useless" and Overpriced Anti-Radiation Pills "=20
=20
being hyped for sale to the people of Japan who Busby has worked so hard =
to terrorize with unsubstantiated and extremist claims. As published =
today in a publication called " Japan Probe: The web's no. 1 source for =
Japan-related news and entertainment" :
=20
"Christopher Busby Sells "Useless" & Overpriced Anti-Radiation Pills"
http://www.japanprobe.com/2011/11/24/christopher-busby-sells-useless-over=
priced-anti-radiation-pills/ =20
or, if the above link does not work:
http://tinyurl.com/8yer3oj
=20
The text of the article from the publication Japanprobe.com is copied =
below since it is so interesting to read:
=20
JAPAN PROBE TEXT of article from link above:
"If you've been following some of the scariest stories on the internet =
about the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, chances are you've come =
across statements by anti-nuclear activist Christopher Busby. Busby is =
known for his championing of the (unproven =
<http://junksciencewatch.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/chris-busby-exposed/> =
) claim =
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Busby#Conflicts_with_other_Low-=
Dose_Radiation_researchers> that very low doses of radiation are =
extremely harmful to human health. He's been saying that Fukushima could =
kill over 1.4 million people. Busby has even claimed that the Japanese =
government is using trucks full of radioactive waste to intentionally =
contaminate the entire country, giving children cancer in areas of Japan =
that are far from Fukushima, and thus hiding any spike in cancer rates =
that will take place near Fukushima."
A recent article in the Guardian =
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/21/christopher-busby-radi=
ation-pills-fukushima> has revealed that Busby is profiting from his =
extremely scary statements =
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DW2xBc43eD28> about Fukushima. As he =
spreads fear of radiation, he's promoting the sale of supplements that =
he claims will protect people from it:
Dr Christopher Busby, a visiting professor at the University of Ulster, =
is championing a series of expensive products and services which, he =
claims, will protect people in Japan from the effects of radiation. =
Among them are mineral supplements on sale for ?5,800 (=A348) a bottle, =
urine tests for radioactive contaminants for ?98,000 (=A3808) and food =
tests for ?108,000 (=A3891).
The tests are provided by Busby Laboratories and promoted through a body =
called the Christopher Busby Foundation for the Children of Fukushima =
(CBFCF). Both the pills and the tests are sold through a website in =
California called 4u-detox.com, run by a man called James Ryan.
Scientists who were asked to comment on the effectiveness of the =
supplements said that they were essentially "useless" as protection =
against radiation. And, to make matters worse, they're being sold at a =
price that is ludicrously high:
Busby says that the calcium and magnesium pills will be supplied "at the =
cost of production". But the prices being charged by 4u-detox.com are =
far greater than those of other mineral supplements on sale in Japan. =
Chemists in Tokyo sell bottles of 200 pills containing similar =
combinations of ingredients for ?1,029 (=A38.49). James Ryan's website =
also charges a minimum shipping cost of ?2,300 (=A319).
George Monbiot asked Busby to comment =
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/nov/22/christop=
her-busby-nuclear-green-party> on the supplements. Here's what Busby =
had to say for himself:
When I phoned Busby to ask him some questions about these issues, his =
responses were less than enlightening. He began as follows: "You can =
f--k off frankly."
When I asked him what his involvement was with the Christopher Busby =
Foundation for the Children of Fukushima, he told me: "I think you can =
f--k off. I'm not going to answer your questions." When I asked whether =
the products being sold in his name are snakeoil, he responded: "Of =
course it's not snakeoil you f--kwit".
Busby answered some of my questions but put the phone down on me before =
I could ask what I considered to be the key points. These are:
- Are you receiving money from the sale of these products and services?
- Have the pills being sold in your name been subjected to a randomised =
controlled trial to test their efficacy?
- Are the tests being sold audited by external assessors?
- Do you draw money out of the Green Audit account for your own use?
When I emailed these questions and others to him he sent me, "as my =
response to your questions" a summary of the proceedings of a conference =
that took place in 2009. Given that this was held before the Fukushima =
disaster, and before he started promoting pills and tests to the people =
of Japan, it was hard to see the relevance of this answer. No other =
response from him has been forthcoming.
Monbiot also looked in to some of Busby's research (almost all of which =
is self-published), finding that scientists who have read it think it's =
about as useful as those anti-radiation supplements. "
END OF JAPANPROBE.COM ARTICLE
We can be grateful as many celebrate Thanksgiving day in the US today, =
that major media have begun to cover, in a very negative manner, the =
misinformation and financially exploitative actions regarding Fukushima =
by many anti-nuclear activists. The attempts by people who have =
exploited the tragedy in Japan for personal gain has been a sorry =
side-bar story to the unfortunate events in Japan. However, many in the =
media are finally focusing on the serious issues of misinformation that =
have been raised by many Radsafe members about Busby.
"Sunlight is the best disinfectant," a well-known quote from U.S. =
Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, refers to the benefits of openness =
and transparency. We can only hope that the US FDA, and other regulatory =
agencies in the US, Europe, and Japan begin to investigate the false =
claims being made by some obvious con-men for their financial gain, and =
prosecute where they can about matters of misinformation uttered with =
intent to defraud, and to cause fear and stress for an already =
distressed population.
Of course, reviews by regulatory agencies in cases like this are =
generally "too-little, too-late". Any "cease and desist" orders they may =
issue will be after much damage has been done. Nonetheless, negative =
media attention helps in quickly discrediting parties exploiting the =
public for personal gain [which is not just financial, but as I've =
commented before the desperate need of some people to see their name in =
print if they think they look like heroes]. The recent news coverage =
makes Busby look anything but heroic.
Happy Thanksgiving to all,=20
=20
Stewart Farber, MS Public Health
SAFarber at optonline.net
203-441-8433
=20
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