Posted on January 8, 2014

Screen Shot 2014-01-06 at 5.22.45 PMThere is no such thing as safe exposure to asbestos. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the EPA, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have all declared asbestos a known human carcinogen. So where does the science come from that allows the asbestos industry to continue?

In a Hazards magazine special online report, editor Rory O’Neill investigates the asbestos industry’s go-to scientists and breaks down the industry’s four-step strategy to give its deadly product a clean bill of health: 1. Buy some evidence, 2. Have a promotional tour, 3. Get your man on the inside, 4. Take the money and run.

The article begins, “Take one deliberately undercooked cancer experiment, publish a scientific paper to promote its academically ridiculed findings, and go on a world tour to publicise its conclusions, and what do you get? In the case of Dr David Bernstein, the asbestos industry’s go-to scientist, the answer is several million dollars.”

“Some scientific hired guns try to hide their industry ties; others flaunt them. Either way cash-for-science can be very bad news for your health.” Read the entire article as O’Neill tackles junk science here: http://www.hazards.org/deadlybusiness/labrats.htm.

Rory O’Neill is the editor of Hazards magazine, an independent, award-winning occupational safety and health magazine, and professor of occupational and environmental policy research at the University of Stirling. Rory is also the Health, safety and environment adviser for the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Thank you to Rory and Hazards magazine for your continued research and commendable work to protect the health of the public from asbestos-related diseases.

Together, change is possible.

Linda