Day 023 - 13 Sep 94 - Page 28


     
     1        evidence for the effects of diet in relation to major
     2        cancers".
     3
     4        That seems to indicate that they believe that the
     5        case-control studies are providing evidence to back up the
     6        other areas of evidence such as general population studies
     7        and animal tests or whatever?
     8        A.  I do not think they are saying that at all.  I mean,
     9        what they are doing is describing what is present in the
    10        literature.  They are not taking a stance on it.  They are
    11        just -- this is an introduction to cancers and the
    12        relationship between dietary components and cancer.  The
    13        first thing they say is that they are much less well
    14        established than those between diet and cardiovascular
    15        disease.
    16
    17   Q.   But it says specific dietary components.
    18        A.  That is right.  Then they are just giving you the
    19        evidence that is available in the literature.  For
    20        example, in the first sentence in the second paragraph
    21        they say:  "The evidence of the influence of diet on
    22        cancer risk is derived from several sources".
    23
    24   Q.   Yes.
    25        A.  And they talk about the national studies and they talk
    26        about case-control studies and just talk -- they have
    27        summarised some of the results.
    28
    29   Q.   I think you said that the case-control studies overall
    30        were inconclusive; whereas they are saying, are they not,
    31        that these case-control studies are "providing stronger
    32        evidence"?
    33        A.  Do remember this meeting was held in 1989.
    34
    35   Q.   Yes.
    36        A.  We are in 1994.  In the last five years a number of
    37        articles have appeared which have redressed the balance a
    38        little bit.  You know, we cannot argue on the evidence
    39        available to this committee in 1989 based on our evidence
    40        in 1994 because  -----
    41
    42   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  But I may have to, you see, because or
    43        I may -- the leaflet which is complained of in this case,
    44        it is said, was published by the Defendants on dates which
    45        are specified in the Autumn of 1989 and the early part of
    46        1990.  So it may well be relevant what has happened since,
    47        but particularly I am interested in what the state of play
    48        was then.
    49        A.  Right.
    50 
    51   MR. MORRIS:  I cannot remember what the question was? 
    52        A.  You were just asking me was not the position of the 
    53        committee.
    54
    55   Q.   At that time.
    56        A.  And I am just stating that the committee have not
    57        actually formed a view at this particular moment; they are
    58        just quoting the evidence that they have used.
    59
    60   Q.   But later on they say in the Conclusions, as we have

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