Re: Cancer Assessment Press Release

[John Goldsmith <gjohn@bgumail.bgu.ac.il>]

Sandy:
     You surprise me, with the paranoid implication that all health
surveys of nuclear workers are evil.  Others seem to see the clearance
against the cancer registry of all former nuclear workers as having 
political rather than health motivation.  In my view as an environmental 
epidemiologist, such studies are a way for the management of BNL to carry 
out part of its obligation to monitor the healthfulnesss of working conditions.
  Should not this be a positive interest of the Health Physics community ?  
Do you prejudge all the results of badge monitoring and make a public issue 
of it?
   The defintions of "healthy worker effect" are correct, and its impact
on overall mortality may be substantial.  Cancer mortality is less
affected.  Let us keep information open and flowing, even if we can't
always predict what it says or understand what it means.
               John R. Goldsmith, M.D., M.P.H.
               Professor of Epidemiology, gjohn@BGUMAIL.bgu.ac.il      

On Fri, 30 Jan 1998, Sandy Perle wrote:

> Thanks for posting this tidbit, Andy. The study, while not focusing 
> on correlating cancer incidence to work history, or other causal 
> agents,, will obviously result in just that anyway. If there is no 
> statistical correlation evident, the study will be considered 
> flawed. If there happens to be only a slight correlation, the study 
> will be used to provide direct evidence of all the deadly effects of 
> radiation.
> 
> These types of studies are inherently evil. The justification for the studies 
> is to satisfy a particular group's agenda. The nuclear community will 
> again be a victim. It is a lose-lose situation.
> 
> ------------------
> Sandy Perle
> Technical Director
> ICN Dosimetry Division
> Costa Mesa, CA 92626
> Office: (800) 548-5100 x2306 
> Fax:    (714) 668-3111
>   
> sandyfl@ix.netcom.com
> sperle@icnpharm.com
> 
> ICN Dosimetry Website:
> http://www.dosimetry.com
> 
> Personal Homepage:
> http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1205
> 
> "The object of opening the mind, as of opening 
> the mouth, is to close it again on something solid"
>               - G. K. Chesterton -
>