Benzene Industry-Conducted or Industry-Sponsored Studies
(Often known as junk science)
BAILAR (2004)
Bailar summarizes as follows:
"Science is often conducted by manufacturers, and this puts a premium on doing bad science that is guaranteed to produce negative results due to:
- a. Small sample size
- b. Poor protocols
- c. Fuzzy statistics."
"Absence of evidence of effect is not equal to evidence of absence of effect."*
Source: Bailar J. 2004. Eur J Oncol 9:15-36.
From a Letter to Petroleum Industry Executives:
Myron Mehlman, Ph.D.
7 Bouvant Drive
Princeton, NJ 08540
Re: Proposed study of the effects of benzene on workers sponsored by the Refinery Industry -- Foregone Conclusions
In a Houston Chronicle article on April 29, 2005 Dina Cappiello reported that five major oil companies are funding a twenty-seven million dollar study through the American Petroleum Institute that is "expected to contradict earlier claims that link low- and mid-levels of benzene to cancers and other diseases cancer claims from exposure to benzene." The companies funding this study are British Petroleum, Chevron-Texaco, ConocoPhillips, Shell, and ExxonMobil.
According to the Boston Globe report on April 26, 2005, Dr. Gerhard Raabe led the petroleum institute and product stewardship committee. The Boston Globe article states that:
"Dr. Gerhard Raabe was involved in raising money from oil companies for this study. Among senior investigators for this study are Drs. Otto Wong, Richard Irons, and Robert Schnatter."
The proposed solicitation for oil company money states objectives and expected conclusions of the "study" even prior to its beginning.
[Emphasis added.]
"Project Value - How Will Research Results Enhance Industry's Ability to Achieve Objectives on Issue of Global Impact and Concern:
"The planned research is expected to:- Provide strong scientific support for the lack of a risk of leukemia or other hematological disease at current ambient benzene concentrations to the general population.
- Establish that adherence to current occupational exposure limits (in the range of 1-5 ppm) do not create a significant risk to workers exposed to benzene.
- Refute the allegation that Non-Hodgkins lymphoma can be induced by benzene exposure."
"The planned research may establish:- That there is an absolute threshold for benzene-induced hematological disorders below which there is no effect.
- The extent to which "sensitive subpopulations" based upon age, genetic or other factors either do or do not exist.
- Establish a unique molecular signature to distinguish benzene-induced leukemias from leukemias arising from other causes."
SHANGHAI HEALTH STUDY
In response to my letter dated June 29, 2005 to forty-five (45) Petroleum Industry executives, I received one (1) response dated July 29, 2005 from:
Patsy Clegg
Oversight Committee Chair
Shanghai Health Study
1220 L. Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
The letter from the Shanghai Health Study states:
"The present study was designed by preeminent scientists independent of the sponsoring companies and
"Is being conducted by Principal Investigators who are research scientists at
- Fudan University in Shanghai,
- the University of Colorado Health Services Center and
- Applied Health Sciences, an independent research firm in San Francisco."
[Emphasis added]
"The independent Principal Investigators conducting the study have full responsibility for the research as well as any conclusions that may be drawn from the data when the study is completed."
Sources: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language defines preeminent as: "Superior to or notable above all others; outstanding."
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language Fourth Edition Copyright© 2004, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved
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