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

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