Day 254 - 22 May 96 - Page 66


     
     1        dissuade them from doing this because it is certainly not
     2        going to do them any harm and it may be potentially
     3        beneficial to them.
     4
     5   MR. MORRIS:  Do you happen to know, we have had evidence already
     6        in this case, we have had a chart which has been presented
     7        to us from the COMA Report saying Greece is the country
     8        with the second highest incidence of stroke mortality in
     9        the European community.  Does that surprise you?
    10        A.  I am afraid this is not my field, I cannot comment on
    11        it.
    12
    13   Q.   OK.  It is on that chart.  Is there any internationally
    14        respected authoritative body which has issued public
    15        retraction of any position it had up to two years ago since
    16        saying that has changed its mind over the dietary risks
    17        associated with cancer?
    18        A.  Any public body?
    19
    20   Q.   Yes.  You said there is a shift in the consensus or medical
    21        opinion.  Has any body, respected body, preferably an
    22        internationally respected body, issued a public statement
    23        saying, 'We got it wrong in 1993 or 1991, we take the
    24        position so that McDonald's does now'?
    25        A.  No.  Most bodies which are going to give
    26        recommendations to populations are not going to shift away
    27        from what is good, physicianal advice to people.  The
    28        uncertainties that I have described is occurring in the
    29        scientific and medical community where, as further research
    30        is being carried out and where people are looking in more
    31        detail at the apparent associations which exist, they are
    32        being unable to confirm exactly what these associations
    33        are.  As we can see in the populations studies, if you look
    34        at them it would appear that there would be an obvious
    35        association but it is not easy to prove what the
    36        association is.
    37
    38   Q.   Is the answer to my question, no, you cannot name a single
    39        international or even national authoritative body who have
    40        shifted their opinion in the last two years?
    41        A.  No.
    42
    43   Q.   Right.  You said the incidence of breast and colorectal
    44        cancer in Spain and Greece is lower -- did you say that --
    45        than other countries in Europe?
    46        A.  Yes.
    47
    48   Q.   Do you know by how much lower?
    49        A.  No.  I would have to go to the exact data to give you
    50        those figures but it is generally accepted that the 
    51        incidence is lower in Greece and Spain than other European 
    52        community countries. 
    53
    54   Q.   You do not know by how much?
    55        A.  Not off the top of my head, no.
    56
    57   Q.   It could be 90 per cent of the rate or two per cent of the
    58        rate?
    59        A.  I do not know.
    60

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