Comments on: Cigarette Company Paid for Lung Cancer Study http://www.poligazette.com/2008/03/27/cigarette-company-paid-for-lung-cancer-study/ News and Analysis from Different Moderate Perspectives Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:52:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: C Stanley http://www.poligazette.com/2008/03/27/cigarette-company-paid-for-lung-cancer-study/#comment-35887 C Stanley Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:28:02 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2008/03/27/cigarette-company-paid-for-lung-cancer-study/#comment-35887 I can see several sides to the issue of conflict of interest here. Certainly as Claudia points out, this conclusion is suspect until verified (but really that's part of the scientific process anyway, that a conclusion should be independently verified before it gains acceptance.) And on the one hand, it's not good if tobacco companies cherry pick which research to fund, which will attempt to make things look more favorable about the smoking/cancer links. But on the other hand, if tobacco companies are giving money for the general purpose of research and then scientists are determining which studies should be funded, it seems like a win-win to me. Obviously the cigarette companies are motivated by the PR boost they will get for appearing to care about the cancers associated with their products- they want to do a public mea culpa, basically. If that can be done in a way that doesn't taint the science, then why not? I'm not clear on the details of this particular case, whether or not there were appropriate safeguards against the conflict of interest having some bearing on the type of study done or the results of it, but as a general principle I think this should be worked out. There should be no way for the companies to know what studies they're funds are going toward, but on the other side there should be transparency of reporting for published studies which drew funds from these sources. That way the cigarette companies couldn't influence the process of study selection or publication of any studies which would be more damaging to them. I can see several sides to the issue of conflict of interest here. Certainly as Claudia points out, this conclusion is suspect until verified (but really that’s part of the scientific process anyway, that a conclusion should be independently verified before it gains acceptance.)

And on the one hand, it’s not good if tobacco companies cherry pick which research to fund, which will attempt to make things look more favorable about the smoking/cancer links. But on the other hand, if tobacco companies are giving money for the general purpose of research and then scientists are determining which studies should be funded, it seems like a win-win to me. Obviously the cigarette companies are motivated by the PR boost they will get for appearing to care about the cancers associated with their products- they want to do a public mea culpa, basically. If that can be done in a way that doesn’t taint the science, then why not?

I’m not clear on the details of this particular case, whether or not there were appropriate safeguards against the conflict of interest having some bearing on the type of study done or the results of it, but as a general principle I think this should be worked out. There should be no way for the companies to know what studies they’re funds are going toward, but on the other side there should be transparency of reporting for published studies which drew funds from these sources. That way the cigarette companies couldn’t influence the process of study selection or publication of any studies which would be more damaging to them.

]]> By: ngkong http://www.poligazette.com/2008/03/27/cigarette-company-paid-for-lung-cancer-study/#comment-35873 ngkong Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:49:55 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2008/03/27/cigarette-company-paid-for-lung-cancer-study/#comment-35873 anyway i have stopped smoking for 2 years now... anyway i have stopped smoking for 2 years now…

]]> By: Claudia http://www.poligazette.com/2008/03/27/cigarette-company-paid-for-lung-cancer-study/#comment-35567 Claudia Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:35:41 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2008/03/27/cigarette-company-paid-for-lung-cancer-study/#comment-35567 If true it's great, but the data is suspect until repeated by an unbiased source. The data we have now is that 90% of lung cancers happen to smokers, that lung cancer has only a 20% survival rate 5 years in, and that smokers have a 1 in 12 (!!!!!) chance of eventually dying from lung cancer. Again, if the data is true, it's fantastic news, but I'll wait to hear from another source. If true it’s great, but the data is suspect until repeated by an unbiased source. The data we have now is that 90% of lung cancers happen to smokers, that lung cancer has only a 20% survival rate 5 years in, and that smokers have a 1 in 12 (!!!!!) chance of eventually dying from lung cancer.

Again, if the data is true, it’s fantastic news, but I’ll wait to hear from another source.

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