TV Schedule

How industry’s assault on science threatens your health



  3. dearmat23
  4. related topics
In his new book, Doubt Is Their Product, David Michaels chronicles the “tricks of the trade” that mercenary scientists and product defense firms employ to delay or prevent regulation of chemicals that kill. Their tactics put them in the good company of cigarette companies and global warming deniers.

It’s a sordid story that’s been repeated too many times over many decades. Independent scientists identify a chemical or environmental hazard that threatens public health. Industry-funded researchers question the results of these studies and call for more research, delaying regulatory action that will protect citizens. The classic case is the long war waged by the tobacco companies. An internal memo from 1969 explains the aims of an industry that mastered the art of manufacturing uncertainty: “Doubt is our product since it the best means of competing with the ‘body of fact’ that exists in the minds of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy.”
dearmat23

17 responses // How industry’s assault on science threatens your health

  • The Union of Concerned Scientists released a survey saying that about 60 percent of the respondents of scientists at the EPA had personally experienced political interference with their work in the past five years.
    dearmat23
  • Although this is something that has been floating around for a long time, there is not really any single person to blame. If you took tobacco of the market tomorrow and made it a class A drug. The economy would die and the governments would have to tax something else like water or air...

    This is why governments interfere, I think its pretty obvious wy industry gets invloved...
    mellowmuppet
    2 responses to this
  • Great and important post!
    CarolynGillis
  • Facts can be pulled to back anyone's opinion.

    The facts do not point to truth.

    The good question is who bought the facts and why do they need them and what do they stand to profit from them?
    J_Jammer
    2 responses to this
  • The most immanent threat to my well being comes from my own federal government who protects and condones corporations who make products that will kill me. The feds start wars and topple democracies in my name that are criminal and unjust. The feds protect corporations that pollute the earth. The feds make a business for profit out of jailing minorities and building hundreds of military bases around the world all to put money in the pockets of a few by taking it from the pockets of the average tax payer.

    Exactly what does yor federal government to for you?
    recommended by  CarolynGillis
    geneonlbk
  • Well said geneonlbk
    I don't hear much about the jailing part of it. It is also a huge profit source..unjust and unnecessary for much of the massive size.
    CarolynGillis
  • different corps already have rights to water both lakes, rivers, and even rain.

    Some of this exists in areas of clean water shortages. If there weren't so much money coming in perhaps governments would be more responsible with their spending.

    There are many "single persons" to blame. The trouble is they hide behind corporate law that gives them anonymity since the corporation can be named, but individuals can't.

    Don't kid yourself, PEOPLE put in place the policies that kill. Take away the ability to hide behind the logo and you have your people.

    That will NOT happen, however, because of the void in political will to take down BIG PHARMA.

    Please no fear mongering about the fall of society due to lack of smokes.
    kDrew_Productions
  • All the big lies are unraveling
    celestialceiling
  • Why do we even allow things to be made that kill us? Future civilizations will be wondering why we did these things to ourselves... if there will be future civilizations...
    dbocaz
  • The fact that cigarettes are still legally sold says everything about our osterich-like society! We are locked into death traps because many of us have to butter our bread in compromise... the dichotomy is chilling... Jobs that produce death... we are a mess
    jjmaster
  • Another book to buy, thanks.
    jubal
  • Indeed, this one's now high on my reading list.
    Humdrum
  • yeah!! let's cut down more trees
    and print out a million copies of a book that is telling us tha we are killing the planet.

    but it's still an interesting subject i think i might buy the book too.

    you see what you have done you have turned me
    into a hypocrate.
    phukna

Add your response

Login/Registration is required to add a response.