George Davey Smith Article Retraction

Author: Gene Borio, Norbert Hirschhorn

The May 26, 2003 article, "George Davey Smith and the Tobacco Industry" contained inaccuracies that may have misled readers into thinking that Prof. Smith had a financial relationship with the tobacco industry.

In addition, Prof. Davey Smith has firmly stated that he has never received funds from the tobacco industry.

For the first time in the 10-year history of the Tobacco BBS, I have had to pull an article. I deeply regret having posted it. I also deeply regret any distress this may have caused Prof. Davey Smith.

Please note that Prof. Davey Smith is a co-author of "Passive smoking and health: should we believe Philip Morris's 'experts'?" BMJ1996;313:929-933 (12 October) (http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/313/7062/929?maxtoshow=?eaf?eaf).

Gene Borio
Webmaster
Tobacco BBS

A Retraction

Norbert Hirschhorn,
independent consultant
1044 Chapel Street #502, New Haven CT 06510 USA

Professor George Davey Smith has written to me privately with emphatic assurance that he has never received money from the tobacco industry, an assurance I accept. I was therefore wrong to imply that his editorial was in any way influenced by anything but his own objective analysis (1). I should have contacted Professor Davey Smith personally first for confirmation, and for this discourtesy I apologize.

(1) Hirschhorn N. George Davey Smith declaration of no competing interests. BMJ Rapid Response, 27 May 2003.