Day 035 - 12 Oct 94 - Page 62


     
     1
     2   Q.   The Commission on Live Sciences and the National Research
     3        Council as well?
     4        A.  Yes.
     5
     6   Q.   Are they well-funded, the National Academy of Sciences?
     7        A.  Do they have plenty of money?
     8
     9   Q.   Yes?
    10        A.  I have no idea.
    11
    12   Q.   I only ask that because if you are going to do significant
    13        research you do need plenty of money, do you not?
    14        A.  Denis Burkitt would not agree with you.
    15
    16   Q.   I know he would not.
    17        A.  Although he has since passed on, regrettably.
    18
    19   Q.   There are, of course, flashes of inspiration from time to
    20        time which would cost nothing at all, but the validation
    21        of hypothetical inspirations require money, does it not?
    22        A.  In some cases it may.
    23
    24   Q.   You see that it is published in 1989 (which is the same
    25        year as the piece of work by Dr. Willett we were looking
    26        at a moment ago).  I would ask you to turn to page 595 --
    27        it must be a jolly fat book -- there is a heading
    28        "Colorectal Cancer", I will not read it out but a review
    29        of the evidence, down to 596 the first column, the first
    30        part of the second column, and then this at the end above
    31        the heading "Liver Cancer":
    32
    33        "In summary, the data on diet and colorectal cancer are
    34        inconsistent, perhaps because of differences in the
    35        population studied or in the dietary and methodology used
    36        to assess intake.  In general, increased risk of
    37        colorectal cancer appears to be associated with a dietary
    38        pattern consisting of a high-fat intake, particularly
    39        saturated fats and low vegetable intake.  It is not clear
    40        that a dietary fibre per se is protective or whether the
    41        apparent protective effects in some studies are due to
    42        other food constituents, such as vitamin C or calcium.
    43        Colorectal cancer may be increased by the consumption of
    44        alcohol and beverages, especially beer".
    45
    46        Perhaps you would agree, Dr. Barnard, that that statement
    47        of a summary of the evidence existing in 1989 in relation
    48        to diet and colorectal cancer is in the same non-committal
    49        or somewhat cautious terms as those of the Surgeon General
    50        in 1992, and whatever the other body was I read out in 
    51        1991; is that right? 
    52        A.  Well, the word "inconsistent" alone does not mean a 
    53        non-committal, nor does it mean there is not a
    54        relationship.  It may mean that the mechanisms have not
    55        been clearly elaborated; or it could mean something else.
    56        I would not want to draw that conclusion from simply that
    57        paragraph.
    58
    59   Q.   But, you see, what I am driving at is this:  What I have
    60        been concerned about all along is your statement in

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