Guest guest Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 http://www.ewg.org/issues/fluoride/20060915/index.php For Immediate Release: September 15, 2006 Contact: Sucher, EWG, (202) 667-6982 Connett, Fluoride Action Network, (802) 355-0999 Harvard Professor Cleared of Ethics Charges is Million Dollar Donor Contribution Creates Potential Conflict of Interest in Secret Ethics Investigation (WASHINGTON, Sept. 15) — A Harvard Medical School professor recently cleared by a Harvard ethics panel of charges that he suppressed critical research findings made a million dollar contribution to the University's Dental School. The contribution—one of just six million dollar gifts that helped create the Dental School's new research building—is not in and of itself improper, but it raises questions about the willingness of the University to censure the donor, Dr. Chester s, chairman of the Dental School's Oral Health Policy & Epidemiology Department. The donation revelation comes in the wake of the University's refusal to release the report of its own ethics committee that exonerated s of the charges, brought by the Environmental Working Group, that he suppressed research findings on the link between fluoride and bone cancer in boys in his reporting to the National Research Council and National Institutes of Health. The secret investigation that cleared s also found that he had not violated conflict of interest rules in his dual roles as fluoride cancer researcher and employee of the Colgate toothpaste company. Colgate is a leading advocate of fluoride. s edits the company's journal, " The Oral Care Report. " " We're not sure which is wackier, the politics of fluoride, or ethics standards at Harvard, " said Wiles, Sr. Vice President of Environmental Working Group. " There is nothing wrong with donating a million dollars to your employer, but it does create a potentially serious conflict of interest when the recipient of the million dollars is investigating the ethics of the donor, " Wiles added. After a year-long investigation into s's conduct, Harvard issued a four-paragraph statement concluding that s " did not intentionally omit, misrepresent, or suppress research findings, " but the panel did not release its report on the matter, nor did it invite any outside testimony during its review. Over a dozen Harvard alumni, including several leading public health experts, have expressed serious concerns to new Harvard President Bok about the cloak of secrecy surrounding the University's ethics inquiry. The University responded to these inquiries with a five-paragraph letter that did not address the request for the ethics report and other documents related to the ethics review. Dr. Egilman, an alumnus of the Harvard School of Public Health, said, " While I was disturbed to read the well-documented ethics charges against s, I was even more disturbed to read Harvard's very brief, and completely inadequate, response on August 15, 2006. " Harvard alumnus and member of the Board of Directors for the Journal of Public Health Policy, Dr. Orris, wrote President Bok: " I am hopeful that your new administration would take action here to assure this needed transparency in executing its obligations to the Harvard Community and more broadly the public as a whole. " Connett of Fluoride Action Network said, " Harvard owes the public—which funds Harvard's research on fluoride and bone cancer—a thorough explanation of how Professor s' misrepresentation of his data, did not violate university and federal guidelines. " ### ADDITIONAL RESOURCES EWG request for investigation and related research: http://www.ewg.org/issues/fluoride/20050627/index.php Fluoride Action Network research: http://www.fluoridealert.org/harvard/ Boston Fox TV story ( " Professor Cleared in Fluoride Study as Controversy Stirs " ): http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/News/ Detail?contentId=664746 & version=1 & locale=EN-US & layoutCode=VSTY & pageId=3.1.1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 About 1 1/2 years ago I read a very good book. I believe it was called The Fluoride Deception. I think at that time it was a newly published book. What I was reading was making me so mad. - -- In EOHarm , " Holly Bortfeld " <maximom@...> wrote: > > http://www.ewg.org/issues/fluoride/20060915/index.php > > > > For Immediate Release: September 15, 2006 > Contact: Sucher, EWG, (202) 667-6982 > Connett, Fluoride Action Network, (802) 355-0999 > > > Harvard Professor Cleared of Ethics Charges is Million Dollar Donor > > > Contribution Creates Potential Conflict of Interest in Secret Ethics > Investigation > > > > > (WASHINGTON, Sept. 15) - A Harvard Medical School professor recently cleared > by a Harvard ethics panel of charges that he suppressed critical research > findings made a million dollar contribution to the University's Dental > School. > > The contribution-one of just six million dollar gifts that helped create the > Dental School's new research building-is not in and of itself improper, but > it raises questions about the willingness of the University to censure the > donor, Dr. Chester s, chairman of the Dental School's Oral Health > Policy & Epidemiology Department. > > The donation revelation comes in the wake of the University's refusal to > release the report of its own ethics committee that exonerated s of > the charges, brought by the Environmental Working Group, that he suppressed > research findings on the link between fluoride and bone cancer in boys in > his reporting to the National Research Council and National Institutes of > Health. The secret investigation that cleared s also found that he > had not violated conflict of interest rules in his dual roles as fluoride > cancer researcher and employee of the Colgate toothpaste company. Colgate is > a leading advocate of fluoride. s edits the company's journal, " The > Oral Care Report. " > > " We're not sure which is wackier, the politics of fluoride, or ethics > standards at Harvard, " said Wiles, Sr. Vice President of > Environmental Working Group. " There is nothing wrong with donating a million > dollars to your employer, but it does create a potentially serious conflict > of interest when the recipient of the million dollars is investigating the > ethics of the donor, " Wiles added. > > After a year-long investigation into s's conduct, Harvard issued a > four-paragraph statement concluding that s " did not intentionally > omit, misrepresent, or suppress research findings, " but the panel did not > release its report on the matter, nor did it invite any outside testimony > during its review. > > Over a dozen Harvard alumni, including several leading public health > experts, have expressed serious concerns to new Harvard President Bok > about the cloak of secrecy surrounding the University's ethics inquiry. > > The University responded to these inquiries with a five-paragraph letter > that did not address the request for the ethics report and other documents > related to the ethics review. > > Dr. Egilman, an alumnus of the Harvard School of Public Health, said, > " While I was disturbed to read the well-documented ethics charges against > s, I was even more disturbed to read Harvard's very brief, and > completely inadequate, response on August 15, 2006. " > > Harvard alumnus and member of the Board of Directors for the Journal of > Public Health Policy, Dr. Orris, wrote President Bok: " I am hopeful > that your new administration would take action here to assure this needed > transparency in executing its obligations to the Harvard Community and more > broadly the public as a whole. " > > Connett of Fluoride Action Network said, " Harvard owes the > public-which funds Harvard's research on fluoride and bone cancer-a thorough > explanation of how Professor s' misrepresentation of his data, did > not violate university and federal guidelines. " > > ### > > ADDITIONAL RESOURCES > > EWG request for investigation and related research: > http://www.ewg.org/issues/fluoride/20050627/index.php > > Fluoride Action Network research: http://www.fluoridealert.org/harvard/ > > Boston Fox TV story ( " Professor Cleared in Fluoride Study as Controversy > Stirs " ): http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/News/ > <http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=664746 & version > =1 & locale=EN-US & layoutCode=VSTY & pageId=3.1.1> > Detail?contentId=664746 & version=1 & locale=EN-US & layoutCode=VSTY & pageId=3.1.1 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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