Coincidence? You make the call!Less than one month before a new breast implant trial is scheduled to start in New Orleans, the British medical journal Lancet publishes a new study on silicone breast implants. The study claims to have identified a blood test for identifying exposure to silicone from silicone breast implants.
Well maybe and maybe not. A lot more testing will be necessary. [Click here to read my write-up of the research study.] But this story gets MUCH more interesting.
The study was touted in a February 13, 1997 press release by Fenton Communications, which claims to be "the nation's leading socially responsible public relations and advertising firm." Among other things, takes credit for promoting Our Stolen Future and other environmental and public health hysteria. The flacks' news release prompted a national wire service story and an article in the widely read and influential New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Here are a few "highlights" from that press release:.
- Although the study was limited in scope to the effectiveness of the blood test, the Fenton press release was titled "Lancet Publishes New Study Linking Silicone Implants to Immune Problems." This was only the first of a number of blatant misrepresentations by the press release of the study.
- The Fenton press release indicated it was released on behalf of the British medical journal. That turned out to be news to Lancet. And on February 18, 1997, a new press release was issued indicating that Fenton was really working on behalf of the Command Trust, a support group/recruiting outfit for breast implant plaintiffs. Of course, The Wall Street Journal had already reported (on February 18, 1997) that Fenton was being paid by plaintiff's attorneys.
- The Fenton press release relies on quotes from the study's lead researcher, Dr. Robert Garry. But it failed to mention that Dr. Garry, a researcher at New Orleans' Tulane University, is scheduled to testify as an expert witness for the plaintiffs in their class action suit against Dow Chemical.
All this could lead a cynical observer to wonder if Fenton, working on behalf of breast implant attorneys, was actually trying to influence prospective jurors called for the upcoming trial in New Orleans. After all, a Fenton-ish version of the study was reported in New Orleans' largest daily newspaper, the New Orleans Times- Picayune (February 15, 1997).
My favorite quote in the Times-Picayune article is this quote by Dr. Garry:
We think this [research] backs up the claims of ... these women that they're sick, that they're not making this up...Our study suggests there is a new disease.
Simply unbelievable. And totally false.
So much for the jury pool. I hope they only pick jurors who don't read the newspapers — or don't believe junk science.
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Copyright © 1997 Steven J. Milloy. All rights reserved. Site developed and hosted by WestLake Solutions, Inc.