Day 030 - 03 Oct 94 - Page 28


     
     1        encourage people to take action to reduce the amount of
     2        deaths from cancer by 15 per cent".  It is a European
     3        Union document.
     4
     5   Q.   It says at the bottom, "This leaflet was produced by the
     6        Cancer Education Co-ordinating Group of the United Kingdom
     7        and the Republic of Ireland".  What kind of status does
     8        that group have?
     9        A.  About 35 cancer charities in this country have formed
    10        together to form the CECG, Cancer Education Co-ordinating
    11        Group.  They are the body that is the formal liaison with
    12        the European Union Europe against Cancer campaign, so the
    13        CECG is one of the bodies that in this country would issue
    14        recommendations with that status.
    15
    16   Q.   Would you like to just take us through the
    17        recommendations, only the relevant ones -- not smoking and
    18        alcohol, but ones relevant to diet and cancer, just to
    19        draw the court's attention to them?
    20        A.  Well, this photocopy is about 15th generation, but
    21        I will have a go.  I think the relevant one is No. 6.
    22
    23   MS. STEEL:   We will hand a better copy up.
    24
    25   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I have read (6) and underlined that already
    26        with another witness.  I have read (3):  "Avoid being
    27        overweight".  But I have not underlined anything else.  So
    28        if there is anything else there which I should
    29        particularly look at within this sphere, let me know.
    30        A.  Perhaps also, my Lord, I think fibre is referred to
    31        from time to time in the context of this case, No. 7.  But
    32        you are right, of course, that it is (6) and (3) first and
    33        then (7).  Those are the relevant ones.
    34
    35   MR. MORRIS:  So this is the position which you predict will be
    36        the official position of the UK government next week; is
    37        that correct?
    38        A.  That is wrongly phrased.  It is certain that the
    39        position, the European Union position, Europe against
    40        Cancer position next week, will be the same as, or
    41        relevantly similar to, the statement here, because this is
    42        a previous statement that would not change.  I do not know
    43        when this was issued, not this year.
    44
    45        I think as far as the UK government is concerned, as
    46        I have already said, the UK government bases its position,
    47        as a matter of invariable policy, on reports produced by
    48        the relevant COMA Committee or COMA panel, to be more
    49        exact.  As I say, the one on diet and cancer is now
    50        sitting. 
    51 
    52   Q.   Just out of interest, do you know when that is likely to 
    53        produce a conclusion?
    54        A.  1996/97.  Let me say also, it does not follow from the
    55        fact there is a COMA Committee sitting on the subject that
    56        the UK government would make no public statement whatever
    57        on the subject.  In the case of cardiovascular disease,
    58        for instance, there have been successive COMA reports on
    59        diet and cardiovascular disease going back to the mid
    60        1970s, although it is true that this is the first one

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