Document e5m9dBw1VQegZXq173j8KXxG9

Monsanto Monsanto Company 800 N. Lindbargh Boulavard St. Louis, Missouri 63168 Phona: (314) 694-1000 January 25, 1982 DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE a EHVIRONMeMTAL HEALTH Professor Gary M. Marsh Department of Biostatistics University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261 Dear Gary: Enclosed is a copy of my letter to the Boston Globe, and an executive summary of the case-control study that I prepared in anticipation of press queries. The latter was done under extreme time pressure on Friday for the Boston Globe, but I believe it is correct. At the--time of writing this letter I have no news about the Globe's Sunday story, but I'll send you whatever we get on it. One of the problems with occupational epidemiology (which ought really to be called political oncology) is that most people are epidemiologically and statistically illiterate. Predictably, when faced with two studies that disagree, they therefore try to make a judgement on the basis of things they understand, such as the label of the author. The lady you talked to uses the "who paid for it" label. A fair number of my colleagues are turned on by the "American College of Epidemi ology" label. A couple of months ago I was denounced in the pages of the Russian River (California) News for not having an MD label. Ah well, enough philosophy. I'll keep you informed. Yours sincerely aw Enclosure William R. Gaffey, Ph.D. Manager, Epidemiology RSV 0007488