Re: The "right" answer

["Jerry Cohen" <jjcohen@PRODIGY.NET>]

    I would agree that in the best of all worlds, studies should be judged

on their scientific merit. Unfortunately in the real world this is often not

the case. Those who fund scientific research can have a vested interest in

preserving their power so that research results inimical them would tend to

be viewed with disfavor. For example, anything indicating that radiation

exposure might not be as harmful as commonly believed would not be conducive

to supporting large budgets for radiation safety programs and would

therefore threaten those involved in these programs.The NSWS provides a

classic example. Those who believe that the current DOE funded studies on

low-level radiation effects will produce unbiased results are likely

deluding themselves.

    Perhaps the Taiwanese Co-60 investigation may be  flawed, but if the

indicated results could be  verified, it would certainly pose a threat to

the current radiation safety establishment. Therefore, in the current

climate, it is hard to be optimistic that confirmatory studies will be

undertaken.











----- Original Message -----

From: John Jacobus <crispy_bird@yahoo.com>

To: Jerry Cohen <jjcohen@PRODIGY.NET>; Muckerheide

<muckerheide@comcast.net>; Dr. Theodore Rockwell <tedrock@CPCUG.ORG>;

<radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>; Dr. Otto Raabe <ograabe@UCDAVIS.EDU>;

<rad-sci-l@WPI.EDU>

Cc: Jim Muckerheide <jmuckerheide@cnts.wpi.edu>

Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2003 8:34 PM

Subject: Re: The Ultimate Hormesis Paper





> May be the authors would make their paper available on

> their own web sites for interested people to download?

>

> My feeling is the "right" answer is the one that

> stands up to the glare of review, not the wishes of

> the reader.

>

> --- Jerry Cohen <jjcohen@PRODIGY.NET> wrote:

> > WOW! Wouldn't this whole fiasco make a dandy episode

> >  for a "60 minutes",

> > "Dateline" , or some other TV news expose' program.

> > The only problem is that nobody would believe it.

>>  In the real world, a good epidemiological study is

> > one that obtains the "right" answer.





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