Re: "Overthrow The Radonistas"

[Al Tschaeche <antatnsu@pacbell.net>]

Gerald Falo wrote:
> 
>      Just a note: as far as understand Michael Fumento is a fellow of the
>      Cato Institute a libertarian political think tank.  I'm not sure that
>      quoting a political writer is the best way to resolve a scientific
>      question.  The validity of BEIR VI is a scientific question. The
>      ramifications of the BEIR IV are of course political and need to be
>      discussed by all parties involved.

Sorry Gerald, I do not think the validity of BEIR VI has anything to do
with science.  There are no data at low radon doses that permit
knowledge of the dose-effect curve.  Accordingly, any extrapolation of
the real data is, at best, a guess, and at worst, political.  I trust
those of us who care deeply about the "radon question" have carefully
perused BEIR IV as well as VI and all of the refrerenced documents
therein and all of the other information on radon effects in the
literature.  When one does this, one must, I believe, question seriously
any conclusion that radon really causes any effect at the concentrations
found in homes.  

As I see it, the only reason BEIR, EPA and others continue the charade
of saying that radon in fact causes lung cancer at the concentrations
found in homes, is because they, as "scientists" can't say NO to the
politicians.  "Science (?) must find the answer for everything" seems to
be the point of view of Congress.  Well, BEIR "science" is not science
as I was taught it.  Extrapolation from known data into extremely
different conditions (such as from mines to homes) is not science.  It
is guesswork.  Why can't scientists, true scientists that is, say "We
don't know, and furthermore we won't even guess."?  The probability of
causation tables are an excellent example of something called science
being used for political purposes.  The PC tables have nothing to do
with science (Sorry Vic).

We must stop kowtowing to the politicians and tell them we don't know. 
Then let the politicians do whatever they do.  We prostitute ourselves
otherwise. (opinion)

Al Tschaeche antatnsu@pacbell.net