Constructing "Sound Science" and "Good Epidemiology": Tobacco, Lawyers, and Public Relations Firms
Elisa K. Ong, MD, MS and
Stanton A. Glantz, PhD
The authors are with the Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco. Stanton A. Glantz is also with the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology.
Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Stanton A. Glantz, PhD, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Box 0130, University of California, San Francisco, CA 941430130 (e-mail: glantz{at}medicine.ucsf.edu).
ABSTRACT
The tobacco industry has attacked "junk science" to discreditthe evidence that secondhand smokeamong other environmentaltoxinscauses disease. Philip Morris used public relationsfirms and lawyers to develop a "sound science" program in theUnited States and Europe that involved recruiting other industriesand issues to obscure the tobacco industry's role. The European"sound science" plans included a version of "good epidemiologicalpractices" that would make it impossible to conclude that secondhandsmokeand thus other environmental toxinscauseddiseases.
Public health professionals need to be aware that the "soundscience" movement is not an indigenous effort from within theprofession to improve the quality of scientific discourse, butreflects sophisticated public relations campaigns controlledby industry executives and lawyers whose aim is to manipulatethe standards of scientific proof to serve the corporate interestsof their clients.
This article has been cited by other articles:
D. Best, Committee on Environmental Health, Committee on Native American Child Health, and Committee on Adolescence Secondhand and Prenatal Tobacco Smoke Exposure
Pediatrics,
November 1, 2009;
124(5):
e1017 - e1044.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
P. Guzelian, M. Victoroff, C Halmes, and R. James Clear path: towards an evidence-based toxicology (EBT)
Human and Experimental Toxicology,
February 1, 2009;
28(2-3):
71 - 79.
[PDF]
N. Pearce Corporate influences on epidemiology
Int. J. Epidemiol.,
February 1, 2008;
37(1):
46 - 53.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
L. Claxton A review of conflict of interest, competing interest, and bias for toxicologists
Toxicology and Industrial Health,
November 1, 2007;
23(10):
557 - 571.
[Abstract][PDF]
E. K. Tong and S. A. Glantz Tobacco Industry Efforts Undermining Evidence Linking Secondhand Smoke With Cardiovascular Disease
Circulation,
October 16, 2007;
116(16):
1845 - 1854.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
E. A. Smith 'It's interesting how few people die from smoking': Tobacco industry efforts to minimize risk and discredit health promotion
Eur J Public Health,
April 1, 2007;
17(2):
162 - 170.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
J. A Francis, A. K Shea, and J. M Samet Challenging the epidemiologic evidence on passive smoking: tactics of tobacco industry expert witnesses
Tob. Control,
December 1, 2006;
15(suppl_4):
iv68 - iv76.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
P. Brown, S. McCormick, B. Mayer, S. Zavestoski, R. Morello-Frosch, R. G. Altman, and L. Senier "A Lab of Our Own": Environmental Causation of Breast Cancer and Challenges to the Dominant Epidemiological Paradigm
Science Technology Human Values,
September 1, 2006;
31(5):
499 - 536.
[Abstract][PDF]
R Clapp, P Hoppin, and D Kriebel Erosion of the integrity of public health science in the USA.
Occup. Environ. Med.,
June 1, 2006;
63(6):
367 - 368.
[Full Text][PDF]
J. R. DiFranza, R. J. Wellman, J. D. Sargent, M. Weitzman, B. J. Hipple, J. P. Winickoff, and for the Tobacco Consortium, Center for Child Healt Tobacco promotion and the initiation of tobacco use: assessing the evidence for causality.
Pediatrics,
June 1, 2006;
117(6):
e1237 - e1248.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
M L Flores, J Barnoya, R Mejia, E Alderete, and E J Perez-Stable Litigation in Argentina: challenging the tobacco industry.
Tob. Control,
April 1, 2006;
15(2):
90 - 96.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
P M Ling and S A Glantz Tobacco industry consumer research on socially acceptable cigarettes
Tob. Control,
October 1, 2005;
14(5):
e3 - e3.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
M D Neuman, A Bitton, and S A Glantz Tobacco industry influence on the definition of tobacco related disorders by the American Psychiatric Association
Tob. Control,
October 1, 2005;
14(5):
328 - 337.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
E M Barbeau, G Kelder, S Ahmed, V Mantuefel, and E D Balbach From strange bedfellows to natural allies: the shifting allegiance of fire service organisations in the push for federal fire-safe cigarette legislation
Tob. Control,
October 1, 2005;
14(5):
338 - 345.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
L. C. Friedman, R. A. Daynard, and C. N. Banthin How Tobacco-Friendly Science Escapes Scrutiny in the Courtroom
Am J Public Health,
July 1, 2005;
95(S1):
S16 - S20.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
A. Baba, D. M. Cook, T. O. McGarity, and L. A. Bero Legislating "Sound Science": The Role of the Tobacco Industry
Am J Public Health,
July 1, 2005;
95(S1):
S20 - S27.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
D. Michaels and C. Monforton Manufacturing Uncertainty: Contested Science and the Protection of the Public's Health and Environment
Am J Public Health,
July 1, 2005;
95(S1):
S39 - S48.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
D. M. Cook, E. K. Tong, S. A. Glantz, and L. A. Bero The Power Of Paperwork: How Philip Morris Neutralized The Medical Code For Secondhand Smoke
Health Aff.,
July 1, 2005;
24(4):
994 - 1004.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
S. Shostak The Emergence of Toxicogenomics: A Case Study of Molecularization
Social Studies of Science,
June 1, 2005;
35(3):
367 - 403.
[Abstract][PDF]
J. Barnoya and S. A. Glantz Cardiovascular Effects of Secondhand Smoke: Nearly as Large as Smoking
Circulation,
May 24, 2005;
111(20):
2684 - 2698.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
S. A. Glantz Tobacco Money at the University of California
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.,
May 15, 2005;
171(10):
1067 - 1069.
[Full Text][PDF]
E. K. Tong, L. England, and S. A. Glantz Changing Conclusions on Secondhand Smoke in a Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Review Funded by the Tobacco Industry
Pediatrics,
March 1, 2005;
115(3):
e356 - e366.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
P Pilkington and A B Gilmore The Living Tomorrow Project: how Philip Morris has used a Belgian tourist attraction to promote ventilation approaches to the control of second hand smoke
Tob. Control,
December 1, 2004;
13(4):
375 - 378.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
M Assunta, N Fields, J Knight, and S Chapman "Care and feeding": the Asian environmental tobacco smoke consultants programme
Tob. Control,
December 1, 2004;
13(suppl_2):
ii4 - ii12.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
E K Tong and S A Glantz ARTIST (Asian regional tobacco industry scientist team): Philip Morris' attempt to exert a scientific and regulatory agenda on Asia
Tob. Control,
December 1, 2004;
13(suppl_2):
ii118 - ii124.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
B C Alamar and S A Glantz The tobacco industry's use of Wall Street analysts in shaping policy
Tob. Control,
September 1, 2004;
13(3):
223 - 227.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
A. Navas-Acien, A. Peruga, P. Breysse, A. Zavaleta, A. Blanco-Marquizo, R. Pitarque, M. Acuna, K. Jimenez-Reyes, V. L. Colombo, G. Gamarra, et al. Secondhand Tobacco Smoke in Public Places in Latin America, 2002-2003
JAMA,
June 9, 2004;
291(22):
2741 - 2745.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
K Neilsen and S A Glantz A tobacco industry study of airline cabin air quality: dropping inconvenient findings
Tob. Control,
March 1, 2004;
13(90001):
i20 - 29.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
J Drope, S A Bialous, and S A Glantz Tobacco industry efforts to present ventilation as an alternative to smoke-free environments in North America
Tob. Control,
March 1, 2004;
13(90001):
i41 - 47.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
J. A. Shillis, B. A. Hall, G. G. Sneden, and N. H. Gottlieb Keeping the Focus on Public Health: The Struggles of a Tobacco Prevention Task Force
Health Educ Behav,
December 1, 2003;
30(6):
771 - 788.
[Abstract][PDF]
K. Bryan-Jones and L. A. Bero Tobacco Industry Efforts to Defeat the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Indoor Air Quality Rule
Am J Public Health,
April 1, 2003;
93(4):
585 - 592.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
J Barnoya and S Glantz Tobacco industry success in preventing regulation of secondhand smoke in Latin America: the "Latin Project"
Tob. Control,
December 1, 2002;
11(4):
305 - 314.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
J V Dearlove, S A Bialous, and S A Glantz Tobacco industry manipulation of the hospitality industry to maintain smoking in public places
Tob. Control,
June 1, 2002;
11(2):
94 - 104.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
D. L. Davis and P. S. Webster The Social Context of Science: Cancer and the Environment
The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science,
January 1, 2002;
584(1):
13 - 34.
[Abstract][PDF]
J. M. Samet and T. A. Burke Turning Science Into Junk: The Tobacco Industry and Passive Smoking
Am J Public Health,
November 1, 2001;
91(11):
1742 - 1744.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
D. Yach and S. A. Bialous Junking Science to Promote Tobacco
Am J Public Health,
November 1, 2001;
91(11):
1745 - 1748.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]