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RE: The Puskin Paper on radon and smoking
Hi All,
Let's face it, from a scientific point of view Puskin's
paper does not prove anything (Sorry, Jerry!). I find it
also very strange that there is no reference to the paper
of Whittemore and McMillan on the mechanism of interaction
[Whittemore, A.S., and A. McMillan. "Lung Cancer Mortality
among U.S. Uranium Miners: A reappraisal." J. Natl. Cancer
Inst. 71, 489-499 (1983)]. I published a confirmation of
their analysis when I used their data to test my formalism
of interaction between the effects of two toxic agents [F.
A. Seiler,"Analysis of Health or Systemic Effects Caused by
Two Toxicants," Environment International,13,459-467,1987].
How can you guys go back and forth about smoking effects in
radon exposure and lung cancer without considering the
mechanism of interaction at all ?!?! So, there are at least
two references on the mechanism in the open literature and
THEY AGREE! So, let's get with it!!
In addition, I find this "ring around the rosie" game
about Jerry's paper rather silly! What no one on either side
has stated yet, and PLEASE do so in no uncertain terms, is
what his data or his analysis of the data can be used for. I
have always thought that the purpose of epidemiology was to
provide data for a risk assessment. So what kind of risk
assessment are you guys working on? Or is this all a purely
Academic Ivory Tower chewing of the cud?
When my kids were a lot younger, they sometimes used to
have a fight over what the fight was all about. I used to be
amused about it. But you are not little kids any more, so it
isn't quite amusing. Well, can somebody let me in on the big
secret and tell me what this discussion can be used for?
Have a nice Father's Day weekend,
Fritz
PS. One thing I do know and that is what Bernie's data
are good for. Joe and I said so in:
Seiler, F.A., and J.L. Alvarez, "Is the 'Ecological
Fallacy' a Fallacy?" Hum. Ecol. Risk Assess., 6,
921-941, 2000.
*****************************************************
Fritz A. Seiler, Ph.D.
Sigma Five Consulting: Private:
P.O. Box 1709 P.O. Box 437
Los Lunas, NM 87031 Tome', NM 87060
Tel.: 505-866-5193 Tel. 505-866-6976
Fax: 505-866-5197
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