Document 06v77JR89dMD30ypYxmdLG0gR

, : . e f . . WEALTH . > DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EDUCATION AND WELFARE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 1/26/27 R / Y/Y , * CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH Lee CC Lee Zeitz ROBERT A. TAFT LABORATORIES 4676 COLUMBIA PARKWAY CINCINNATI OHIO 45226 . Zeitz V. V. January 26 1977 Walt Platteborge Burlington Free Press Burlington Vermont 05401 x / ' 70911877 70911877 70911877 ' 70911877 70911877 70911877 70911877 70911877 70911877 70911877 . 70911877 70911877 70911877 70911877 70911877 70911877 wtp Dear Mr. Platteborge We wish to protest the biased and inaccurate way in which the Vermont Talc Study was presented in your article Our comments will be in the order in which the items appeared 1 Mr. Miller states that NIOSH ignored related factors such as the smoking habits of mine workers the abnormally high respiratory disease rate for the entire state population and dust control improvements in the mines and plants As to smoking we have obtained smoking information on most of the men who died of malignant respiratory disease or respiratory cancer A majority of these men did smoke at some time during their lives however since we have no information on the smoking habits of the underlying populationno comparison can be made It seems unlikely that the observed excess of malignant respiratory disease deaths is associated with unusual smoking patterns and then only among Talc millers and those with mixed exposures Eleven deaths were observed and only 1.79 expected U.S. Rates resulting in a number over 6 times the expected Deaths in the study group were also compared with those expected on the basis of Vermont rates as Mr. Miller must certainly have been aware Indeed on November 19 1976 we mailed Mr. Miller a detailed table comparing the observed and expected deaths using both U.S. and Vermont rates The expected number of malignant respiratory disease deaths using Vermont rates was 2.57 thus resulting is a fold excessive \ risk The difference is statistically significant at 0.002 As for the excess of respiratory cancers in talc miners at this time this excess is not thought to be associated solely with the talc exposure itself These miners may well be exposed to agents in addition to the talc i.e. radon daughters RECEIVED - FEB1 5 1977 GEDAGE LEE 0148383 Protected Document to Protective order JNJ 000042660 ~ oN . i Mr. Platteborge1977 January 26 1977 Page 2 ' Additional support for a related etiology among millers is provided by chest rays taken by the Vermont Department of Health as a part of its annual surveillance of workers in the dusty trades Copies of the most recent rays were made available for reading by a member of the panel of Radiology Consultants of NIOSH with the Cincinnati classi- fication of radiographic appearances of pneumoconiosis These rays were read blind and readings of 1/0 or higher are considered to be consistent with pneumoconiosis The Health Department had readable rays on 8 of the 11 men who died of respiratory disease Of these ! eight six 75 had readings of 2/1 or greater Only one of the six was known to have prior exposure These rays were taken while the worker was employed and relatively healthy that is healthy enough to \. be actively employed As to the dust control improvements the idea of a historic study is to study the long term effects We have stated repeatedly that we cannot associate the effects observed with a particular dust level but rather with an inherent problem of the material itself Mr. Miller in the last talks of the two decades dramatic improvement A subordinate of his in the work environment Mr. Zeitz a chemist ] employed by Windsor Minerals informed me that their previous efforts to clean the workplace up were not made until the late 60's and early 70's when they were required by the Bureau of Mines 2 While I do concede that the mortality study does not establish a clear relationship between talc mining and respiratory ailments at no time have I conceded an absence of an association among talc millers The quote you attributed to me was while true taken out of context lends itself to misrepresentation concerning this respiratory disease hazard among millers 3 As to your reference that talc is a nuisance dust - if you will recall Ms. Selevan stated that Mr. John Dement the NIOSH industrial hygienist on this study was the proper individual to contact concerning exact status of the talc standard Ms. Selevan subsequently verified to you that talc is not considered a nuisance dust as did Mr. Dement Nevertheless you persisted in calling talc a nuisance dust in your article Journalistic responsibility dictates that a factual and balanced view of the subject be displayed However this was not done in this case We were not given the opportunity to respond to the criticisms Mr. Miller made of the NIOSH study Since the complaints are either not true or inappropriate this also unfairly attacks our credibility and professionalism and hinders our effectiveness in carrying out our mandated duties Protected Document to Protective order 0148384 JNJ 000042661 . Mr. Platteborg f _- January 26 19 ie Page 3 We are disappointed with the distorted manner in which you reported on an agent talc having adverse effects on workers in your state To insure no excuses for further misrepresentation upon completion of our report we will forward a copy to you Sincerely yours Shum Shum Schwa Schwa J. Schwa A Selevan Sherry G. Epidemiologist Biometry Section Division of Surveillance Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies John M. Dement Dement Dement John M. Dement Industrial Hygienist Industrial Hygiene Section Division of Surveillance Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies CC Bobby Craft NIOSH John Finklea NIOSH : John Froines Vermont Department of Health Aurel Goodwin MESA Jack Hardesty NIOSH Roger Miller Windsor Minerals Don Spatz United Cement Lime and Gypsum Workers International Union Joseph Wagoner NIOSH Vernon Zeitz Windsor Minerals Protected Document to Protective order 0148385 JNJ 000042662