Day 031 - 05 Oct 94 - Page 53


     
     1        well, certainly the committees that I have sat on that
     2        both form part of the discussion that the mechanisms for
     3        aetiology are part of the discussion that leads you to an
     4        assessment of risk.
     5
     6   Q.   I understand, Professor Crawford.  May I put it another
     7        way, that there will come a point where the evidence is
     8        suggestive, sufficiently suggestive, of risk that a body
     9        will make a recommendation, yes?
    10        A.  Yes.
    11
    12   Q.   It does not follow from that that the body has concluded
    13        that X is the cause of Y?
    14        A.  That is correct, but I think if you are referring to
    15        bodies like the World Health Organisation and the type of
    16        recommendations which they make in these sorts of cases,
    17        they are making recommendations which are going to affect
    18        governments throughout the world.  They are not going to
    19        make those recommendations lightly.  I would be very
    20        surprised if the World Health Organisation made any
    21        recommendations that did not actually embrace the evidence
    22        on aetiology as a part of their summation of degree of
    23        risk.
    24
    25   Q.   I think, though I did not get a "yes" or "no" answer, my
    26        question was -- but I am content with that answer,
    27        Professor Crawford, thank you.  Only these further
    28        things:  Before you come back to court, may I ask you
    29        kindly (if you have not done so already) to read the
    30        papers to which Dr. Sidney Arnott refers in his report
    31        prepared for this case?  Can I ask you a preliminary
    32        question:  Have you been invited to read Dr. Arnott's
    33        report?
    34        A.  I was invited to read Dr. Arnott's -- well, the
    35        transcript of Dr. Arnott.
    36
    37   Q.   You read his evidence in court; is that right?
    38        A.  Yes.
    39
    40   Q.   He wrote quite a long and detailed report for the purposes
    41        of these proceedings which I understand you now tell me
    42        you have not read?
    43        A.  I have not read that.
    44
    45   Q.   It will save time in court.  Could I ask you to find a
    46        moment between that date which is yet to be fixed and
    47        today to read the report and to read his references?
    48        A.  Yes.
    49
    50   Q.   I think 10 to six; we will make sure you get them. 
    51        A.  I will be pleased to do that. 
    52 
    53   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You will probably be quite interested?
    54        A.  Yes, I am sure I will.
    55
    56   MR. RAMPTON:  With particular attention -- you will get a
    57        transcript of today's hearing, I expect, so there is no
    58        need to make a note now -- to what I am encouraged to call
    59        meta studies or meta analyses on existing bodies of
    60        coronary research?

Prev Next Index