[back] Cancer Industry critics
Samuel Epstein
[back] Cancer Industry critics
"We are not dealing with a scientific problem. We are dealing with a political issue."--Samuel Epstein, M.D.
Dr Epstein is currently Chairman of the nation-wide Cancer Prevention Coalition.
[2009 Nov] Risks of Mammography: Hidden Role of the American Cancer Society
Mammography Is Dangerous Besides Ineffective, Warns Samuel S Epstein, M.D.
10 books including: the prize-winning 1978 The Politics of Cancer; the 1995 Safe Shopper's Bible; the 1998 Breast Cancer Prevention Program; the 1998 The Politics of Cancer, Revisited; the 2001 GOT (Genetically Engineered) MILK! The Monsanto rBGH/BST Milk Wars Handbook; and the 2001 Unreasonable Risk. How to Avoid Cancer from Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: The Neways Story.
Quotes
Winning the War Against Cancer?...Are They Even Fighting It? by Samuel Epstein
"The members of the generously funded cancer establishment include: the NCI;
the ACS; a network of 57 National Cancer Centres, such as the prototypical New
York's Memorial Sloane Kettering (MSK), whose annual budget exceeds $350
million; the NCI and ACS contractees and grantees at leading universities; and
major pharmaceutical companies. Cancer care is big business, not
just science or charity, with cancer drug sales of well over $1 Billion
annually.
Actual connections between the cancer establishment and
the drug development industrial complex, chemical, pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies, include Bristol-Myers Squibb, the nations largest
chemotherapy drug producer, which controls key positions on Sloane Kettering's
board....Another major component of the cancer drug industry is Sandoz Ohram Ltd
(now Novaris)...which recently signed a $100 million cancer drug development
deal with Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
A more obvious conflict of interest relates to
the 3 member Presidenially appointed Cancer Panel which controls NCI priorities
and policies. the most long standing past chairman of the panel was Benno
Schmidt...senior drug company executive, and member of the MSK
board.....followed by Armand Hammer, Chairman of Occidental Petroleum, a major
polluting industry and manufacturer of carcinogenic chemicals."-Samuel
Epstein
[2009 Nov]
Risks of Mammography: Hidden Role of the American Cancer
Society Five radiologists have served
as presidents of the American Cancer Society (ACS). In its every
move, the ACS promotes the interests of the major manufacturers of
mammogram machines and films, including Siemens, DuPont, General
Electric, Eastman Kodak, and Piker. This
bias hypes mammography, which Dr. Epstein and Rosalie Bertell, Ph.D.
of the International Physicians for Humanitarian Medicine emphasize
is an avoidable cause of breast cancer.
"The mammography
industry conducts research for the ACS and its grantees, serves on
its advisory boards, and donates considerable funds," they warn.
"DuPont also is a substantial backer of the ACS Breast Health
Awareness Program; sponsors television shows and other media
productions touting ACS literature for hospitals, clinics, medical
organization, and doctors; produces educational films; and
aggressively lobbies Congress for legislation promoting the
nationwide availability of mammography services."
In virtually all its
actions, the ACS has been and remains strongly linked with the
mammography industry. Meanwhile, it ignores or attacks breast self
examination (BSE), following training by expert nurses or
clinicians, which is the safe and effective alternative, say Drs.
Epstein and Bertell.