6 May 2002 176 (9): 448
Jump to full article: Medical Journal of Australia, 2002-05-06
Author: Bernard W Stewart and Peter C B Semmler
Intro: Our article1 outlined evidence presented to the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The paucity of epidemiological evidence concerning an association between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and laryngeal cancer (two studies available) was offset by biological plausibility concerning the carcinogenicity of tobacco smoke. To that extent, the epidemiological evidence in question "supported" a clear inference of causality from other data. The views offered by Langlands and Gebski do not alter this consideration, and are otherwise without merit for several reasons.
To restrict the inference reasonably drawn from epidemiological data to whether or not statistical significance is achieved is inadequate. To offer an overall conclusion other than one based on all the data (in this instance, both studies) is unsound. To publish imputations concerning a specific study in a context denying right of reply by the authors concerned is unfortunate. To identify an ethical problem predicated only on a perceived discontinuity between evidence accepted by a court and evidence accepted by the medico-scientific community is spurious.
The Court in Sharp v Port Kembla RSL Club was provided with vigorous criticism of the epidemiological data. Most of the eight weeks of court time was occupied by a painstaking analysis of this and other causative issues. The Court then made a determination consistent with the medico-scientific evidence.
Jump to full article » |