The Rochdale asbestos cancer studies and the politics of epidemiology: what you see depends on where you sit
Saturday, May 26th, 2007.
International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health. 2007 Jan-Mar;13(1):70-9. [Link]
Tweedale G.
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA. marchevsky@cshs.org
Abstract
The history of the exploitation of epidemiology by the U.K. asbestos industry and the subsequent obscuring of the disastrous results of exposures is presented, exploring in particular the roles of Sir Richard Doll and his colleagues. Epidemiology, often regarded as a neutral science, is susceptible to socio-political influences.
Glossary
- epidemiology
- (ep-uh-deem-ee-AHL-uh-gee) the study of diseases in populations by collecting and analyzing statistical data. In the field of cancer, epidemiologists look at how many people have cancer; who gets specific types of cancer; and what factors (such as environment, job hazards, family patterns, and personal habits, such as smoking and diet) play a part in the development of cancer.
