"tainted" epi studies

[Michael Stabin <stabin@npd.ufpe.br>]

Ed wrote:

> Since DOE controlled the data, the epi studies, the science, the health
> physics and the industrial hygiene, ...

I want to urge a word of caution with this line of thinking. The "fox
guarding the henhouse" analogy has been taken a bit too far by a number of
critics of DOE regarding their support of epidemiology studies of their
facilities.  I worked at ORAU, where these studies were carried out for many
years. I know personally many of the scientists involved in these studies,
and they were researchers of the highest quality, both professionally and
ethically.  To suggest that, because they accepted DOE funds to study DOE
facilities, they slanted their studies, omitted key data, etc., is to impugn
their character, not to attack some amorphous government entity.  Drs.
Shirley Fry and Donna Cragle, who headed the programs, as well as the many
scientists, stasticians, computer programmers, and others who worked there,
were honest and hard working people.  I saw many times in the Knoxville and
national media these allegations or implications that there was some funny
business in the data, when no strong correlations were found between dose
and cancer rates in some of their studies (which, I might add, often met
many of the rigorous criteria for good statistical studies that many other
widely discussed studies did not).

Another tendency of the media is to assume that people who "find"
significant correlations are the honest voices crying against the huge
government entity which is trying to cover up some bad practices, and those
who do not find them were covering something up.  Many groups with political
agendas have been guilty of "cooking" epidemiological data or the findings
as it suits them - this is *always* scientific misconduct, and should be
called out as such, whether it comes from the "whistleblower" side or the
"employer" side.  But I will say that I have personal experience with the
people involved here, and some familiarity with a few of the published
reports, and such allegations or implications simply are not warranted.


Michael Stabin, PhD, CHP
Departamento de Energia Nuclear/UFPE
Av. Prof. Luiz Freire, 1000 - Cidade Universitaria
CEP 50740 - 540
Recife - PE
Brazil
Phone 55-81-271-8251 or 8252 or 8253
Fax  55-81-271-8250
E-mail stabin@npd.ufpe.br

"Quantum Mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of"
- Steven Wright


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