Day 023 - 13 Sep 94 - Page 19
1 cancers, so that results of treatment in one centre can be
2 compared with another, for example; to try to introduce
3 greater uniformity of assessment of disease and,
4 therefore, the effectiveness of treatment. But the UICC
5 has many, many subcommittees looking at individual cancer
6 sites. It is again a largely administrative
7 organisation. Apart from him, I do not see any other
8 cancer specialist.
9
10 MR. MORRIS: Presumably, the Council for International
11 Organisations of Medical Sciences, is that a body that
12 would incorporate concerns about cancer?
13 A. I have to say I do not know. I have never heard of
14 them. I would say that the majority of people on this
15 committee are not cancer specialists.
16
17 Q. Who is Dr. K. Stanley, World Health Organisation, Geneva,
18 Co-secretary, it says Cancer?
19 A. Yes. I do not know. I do not know of Dr. Stanley at
20 all.
21
22 Q. So when ----
23 A. I said -- sorry?
24
25 Q. Are you saying that, moving aside from your position, is
26 the World Health Organisation, a widely regarded,
27 internationally respected, responsible organisation in
28 terms of human health?
29 A. Well, I think the answer to that is that I cannot give
30 you a blanket "yeah" or "nay" because they produce many
31 articles, documents, related specifically to cancer which
32 are, to say the least, controversial. Many people argue
33 about them and say, you know: "This is not right". So,
34 as a general rule, generally speaking rather, they are a
35 group who are considered to be responsible, but they are
36 only reporting here the opinions of this particular
37 committee.
38
39 Q. Would you say that they are the most influential health
40 organisation in the world -- single organisation?
41 A. In health, generally speaking, probably, because you
42 said "in the world" and that is including not just the
43 developed countries but the under developed countries.
44
45 Q. No, the world. So, their view (which we read out before)
46 their conclusions are very strong and clear, are they not,
47 on the links ---
48 A. Yes.
49
50 Q. -- between diet and cancer, yes, which they call dietary
51 factors are now known to influence development of a wide
52 range of diseases including cancer. Would you say that it
53 would be reasonable that if they are publicising that view
54 for people to -- I am not talking about specialists like
55 yourself who may have particular concerns about particular
56 positions, but it would be reasonable for governments in
57 various countries, or particular health bodies who are
58 looking for guidance -- yes, people that are looking for
59 guidance -- would trust the World Health Organisation as a
60 kind of leader in the field or the most internationally
