Document ypqqOJLX7DRRDaV48613m9094

FILE NAME: Johnson & Johnson (JAJ) DATE: 1976 Mar 26 DOC#: JAJ111 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter to The Washington Post from Dr. Irving Selikoff Contradicting How His Views Were Portrayed in Attached Articles ARCHIVES MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE 0/ TheCityUniversity ofNtu>York W F I F T H A V E N U E A N D I OOTH T E E T . N E W YO R K, N Y, 10059 Dtparlmriii 0/ Coim*i*li)f Mediant March 26, 1976 Miss Marian Burros The Washington Post 1150 15th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20071 Dear Miss Burros * I was astonished by your article in The Washington Post on March 26, 1976, astonished because of the inaccurate stance of the story, and the sly selections used in its preparation. These gave the impression that there was disagreement on my part and on the part of our Laboratory with the position of Dr. Thomas C. Chalmers. This can only be characterized as a deliberate distortion, not a very difficult task, I presume, on the part of a skilled writer able to make use of omissions. Thus, I specifically stated that 1 was in agreement with Dr. Chalmers, that I thought his statement was carefully and accu rately written. I repeated this to you, so that there be no misunder standing. Nowhere in your story is this mentioned. And one would be hard put to believe that this is an inadvertent omission. Certainly, the omission serves to provide a "newsworthy1' picture of a conflict among scientists, when there is no such disagreement. A further example of skilled slanting is the use of the phrase "Selikoff acknowledged that the cosmetic industry has "gone ahead quietly and improved the talc..." I didn't "acknowledge," with its connotation of reluctance. Rather, I stated that the cosmetic industry was to be "congratulated" on having improved its product and that credit should be given where due. But this, too, didn't fit your perspective. We could go on; for example, you questioned me on scientific problems such as differences in Mount Sinai versus FDA techniques, safe levels for asbestos, etc. In the story you place my remarks after your mis statement about my disagreeing with Dr. Chalmers' comments, leaving the impression that he may have said something to the contrary. He didn't he didn't mention these subjects. You obviously are a clever writer. It's unfortunate that your skills could not have been put to *better use. Sincerely yours IJS-.jlr cc: Managing Editor, Washington Post Dr. Thomas C. Chalmers Dr. David Pomrinse DX-8846 Page 1 of 5 DlfVNDANrS fX H llIT O X -8 84 6 ? rooms or sleek vers that the lever J lTH` 7 U * ' tJTM Clcirifid by N. Y. Hospital Bylri* Burr rttim& Mount Situi Mile*! Cm^ vtotu- The wi 1 Ittv-. t*r ta M*f Y m i t o lsiu*d Ay Is piaster with tUclron \ * *1# m m & tm /mkroeopy, OTA will met \ tuta wBlwtat** shot* n - j pernii you to detenuta u - } ports { rstsH rtt -mrk ton. I tnarm *t less ttam tad! * dtastod *t tfc* hasp!' Do- ! per t, jW.r ow per . pwttm m t s i ainaaw M east, *h*r* im taut dsWty Udldh t tm m Sm m ttl#* It i t lo*r Mantra, sut* M so m M i* Be**' t a Ig M t ii M m - # , te . .etossoi I t s Washtetiat Past t- yS eltj ]& port* & liB il * o<t'' A h tsv ammUt* ' ..s, K*jr <ry Tv urn 7 mu ti**J w m u m #.n*t* i ^ attriaMstifipnri- n *taltta*taU*lf; diet, Br. a s * c Qui- aw- T*w tetorp*. / ntmLtlt . I H* with tot slt ttw* ,* ni* i,to r*r Wore, so tot mu tasta^i .i1tat*i w^ i*" tspyo.^rt.s*da!to* 7 w r t ta U luit** s * jb> ito* iberta* rpwtJ mmr li* Uuui a* por m u or tt* "l nrrtotojy rmdd1 wsnt mirkei SnU ih* timplr wm tc b* SMtrt wllh ta f nato. / S m fm m eiiL to*. fb*re 1*so m h Ite et / I **b*st knomi,** 1 I m talea p*w4r* ad ta th stttj "lu i b**n .14 ,,y pttrsh*l*5 ore tlurn iter** (QcsapttaBal snd Mlth AdodsWntiott V yaataapo." ta a it Dsj>*rtrat a ttu ta r \ BOOOOt MSljM* W Ok /sddrosMd tte *ta* te* to \ <x>4 awl.Bm* Adattateti, i, * preposed aomdiMad to \ . tioa " t o c m i w i l t i ap> rcgulatloiu th ' 0*f - - ts e t u b itta t xposwe . IS a L .... t r Mbwto* Kartats. In alte sali, prattof tfce prapcul in Ut* mik m et Osi. , 1S7S, rm en l sii- taetuUa*! i}5 ter, OSSA siri it i atenUfemt o recatala test ili is b# arase ai s ime* tpwrtn? t i * B*. paftm'at ol Eavteooaueata ulwto tite teowe nate prcptrtl**, in. Kwlleteis t o * tate# m tw ,s# testos,- ad Urui # to som* purts t Qul< a l &ould tw no detaet*' s i1t*tfiwat Arthur RM, mneh ss. tetsai la tha dtapoctaMat wh wrkl ob a* tale stoety, sii woat ot tt* ptmrjtest tei t#B pnrrtus*i lo un, twt *om# n parlauw m nmtUr m 1WS. *h*Un ** fattoti te onte f th* Ptmae **aip), he b M, thoogh "Uwrt w decite*taitiswenai" f Ssmptas f 16 txlcusc pow-l f et* wr* slso purrtatssi l) i drag ter* ti t o t Ifl, tto* s a i *r* tani Itiilrf, * , Jtfal l i l e W W - ^SSgS^^ Ford Aid Plani Strade by VAW STKRUNC HEJOKTS, M ieto, Mareh 2S (AF) -- A hiut 6,100 United Auto Wtsricsrs unto meinbers h*v *trak th ferri Motor Co. plani ber. Ita scie pradacar of sxlcs u d drive tatti to t Ford esw, A S A I sppkwssa asta t--h t-u..t--iott w...s-* w...t.i..l..ton.a..r.... prohm irt trite ceoU mtsn Ite* conisi Mhwtos s i i v'%- * that do ~bsvc tttirlty lt*f ttinaanta." Dr. t o ta l S. StlttoB. d to r in ol tht tortes W * Nsdtog iu8io3$y*5R secBpstiontl disease*. ssW the sppsrtnt dliertpsncy betr** FDA's {tedingt assl! Mount $lni'* I* due to a differ in taciadew t o ^ i * o tto rord ptants A T o ri orlicisi dscltasd to tlissi* how long it siifitit tal titicre toc strili niW lesti io j h u l d o s r n rlsrwher*. Navy Station Hangar Collapse, Injures 5 TOA's methods sr# not CORONADO. C sllf., fitly* cnuuph to measure nv Miicll 25 lA?I -An slmsK I h a t e telow a certste lc**L - tutagsr under construction Kh* 14 FDA " . Ollier*A cotUpsed v/iib '. tirrUlc list Ttermsl Anktys'.s 101*A n ctssh" today si Sertk U sad epticsi mlcretcopy j land Naval Station, a ipo- The* lire Sat * stnrilirt sf f k s n s*ld. h?let-Iron ittlewwitojrjr," itr A be psWic Kairs el- MhotJ used Si Mt Stesi. fleer uM USr test live Dr. Seltolf said. civilian rrarfanen tad bren i FDA't director el cosmtt t itijtired, one errrely and ' lla toctmeiogy, Heins 4 tour slightly. Eiernami, seta lh* tho- : .tmtnilsnin ml Hr* units ; dotofy tee FDA used to ex- w*r* *nt to rh* scene #t I mine 78 cnsmrttc talc* in the tip of Coransdo Htasd i m "has eertata llmita- .cress San 1>i* |b Bay. DX-8846 Page 2 of 5 ARCHIVES MOUNT SINAI Talcum Study Clarified by K Y. Hospital ** rf<j A-* - 3 Br Mitten Bum* WUktMUa*Mtfull WXUr U W i$ U Ktedleat C*o. tar la Se* Taris ta t * teteM at *i m *et tela m M v atxmt ta po** t retaeirufe wutic asas * M &> of tatitmauMM m t e teste MMt tte#taiJSW tiont. The Uvei of aeaiitte-Y Hr is greater with leentra aimwmpy. OTA wW et permit ym to (Uiei-akt te tta et tat* te a hit! ta* ant, petibiy <m pn tat, rrhtrmt ytm ms toteraia It at lewer <*#1 toas hr ta* torti..!* 4$. te ttetexte I W m - t e t e t e . l a t i o j t an ` -c? J iEiiiTSa* Wwd- ae*r'hr t e ceatr* ptoaStosst, Ok O m m - C CSwt- HSffH.gggg* ffc* ar tata yo*te tete tet era*ttete te Q > Q lo* t e n ora t e Mart of to* wrkat ted this maple was ftw iw rtiM , , * Tit t e a m ptawtes a t e la t e M r * M t e n jeutem d w m t e a (tee JWIW.* *B*esNAMmt&xm fey&& fund. td.Dnf AdnWWr** dan *bmtm Mt r te le d ep- prteteM* mount* of te** tai" la talcum powder. caBtaew te *S4 TSt m tn te t work mm of t e tilsh*rt. tactvutel quality ad tgaiteB t coatrihv,. Urn to tta BeM ,' In t e Be1 at Entirenaienul t e * t e r n mumpte n to sen parts of CM* rstiftfa t e w AWJlUr BoM, IWiftk t*- tsijtant la t e dipertraen! mho wettaed a* tta tale **uta,rtl twtoittaiww* ders ta d t e n sw re ta te in UfiS, but mm* www pr- ctasad m taoemtJy *a ISIS, AtestM w t fcaad la to w of t e tmmw mmpltc, be add. t e w b "tow* * u duetto* to tta wwmnt," te s p lw of 18 talcum potr- ta n w # ateo purckaM la * dreg ate* te t e t a t to dor* **td *r* Mug Mudted npw, Jlobl tlii "f e w of tern contain ste w s ad to o ttat da tow* erst!y t o w mount." <"*Dr, Irvin# J, milrntt. etatomtfl of th* d*p*nment *cd a testing utlwrtty on occupational diseases, wld the sppirta! dUerpvv tatween F0A*s flodiast end Mount Sfow's ii dut W i dlffenme in technique, FOX'S shod ar not icnttlv-e eoouih te meaiure is iJutaito* M ow certitn it1, " h * xtai. FDA "o*e* OUfcren- dal Theraud Anaiys;* <OT.U aod apticai stlsro*cetv. Thtss at* not m n mitroteopy," the methad used 1 J!t, Sinai, Or, Setikoff said, _ " PDA'* dlrtctcr of eosmst* i l o technoioir, Helm 1. ` Eterraann. id the mcttio dology the TOA used to ev ! cine 75 cosmetic talcs In - 1375 "hat certain liralu- Seliioff eelujiridj:^ Oust Ita en w tete tediati? t e "son* tata qtrirtlr ad isetntwwi tta tale lu t there is hut chink to ttairar- nor, TUrny w*r* da*tirpol* with s t e m *U tte r e t e tafee*, so wtat w* put la t e l un** before is Ulto*, ' `t ccrtuMjr wouldn't enat to ta dusted with tay t e tus, Ttart is Bo f* teeet ot to tete s tamrnn," SelDsolf Tb* Q*ttjtio*i m * m and Health Aetolniswatton ol tta Depsrtwetii of t a t e ddrtoM tta to t Usta la * proposed **8d*at to iemulations oeeruto t e )Mt*te!tetateHtstiNir tor `astaetns work*, in priaUaSte propotoltotet> Ort. , i m Padart] M s ter, OSHA told r e f l a t e Hut them it no stourans* of sate punir* to t * (utatoaca with taewu tndooccole proiiertl, to EM-f y?sttbetitH, ws. thus Ujw* should he ta detecto* M* eoHcwttettow,** -- J DX-8846 Page 3 of 5 ARCHIVES MOUNT SINAI ,17 n iw T' .- yo rosr, ruday, m ascm ^ On Sinai r- Talc.Data t, - W*SwBpw fiHIi' _ , * ~ *^%fp'v$tip. : -wMmmmsm^w^m ;i.p ju& lau-lfeM '*2i `.Tari* Jm . taa& a JiatonwiJ^ *% eeawt p *,tattf' thank iwpaK* m v m %' ^@3Nr ipcsflc eoisJaK&ed ^ , -"- hm0aaB Depto f.ato* PWm&m weafaMLMMteta <att tt *> '`-Aebbur SoMy geaMW'as Ay h w * .sBtee* fen** tal "afcftatar to. b o - d ^ratean t. a p i r s ' .v v`- * s*t-#w*l(ed so th# talc study, f .. 2*-, WtuAtecfentc Bout. * "said nsart of b e powders hsd r,*Ma*tfc-i^p3t^tefladia8% iMMopuisbnw<l fa- lifS bat / ; wfctohyaM:.taBt asbesto# san e ware purcsuL*d m re ;' t e - werw iaeen*Nre& to r , cently ItTS, Asbesto m m 1 of JS' body od. tatoy* pow- fm ini to *a a * of the nrr , dar aftd&MMgr th e n m e l i > - u p ! , b# id , though ,% * -,* *..< 1* ^ wfcs 4Ata# in to e "S A ltete#- m '*um mm* .- amount* '; ttalftBWj a * * i r a of heat Dr, In to # J, Sdikoff, dbair* ; ' and M em ital a*nor, m d m*a of th# dtoartaieatAad.. "* asbMtgsl^- sSBttar s i ton# leading. authority a occupa `' tiara*. m . m m Dr, w uaam .v tional diseases mid tit* ap- * 3, Nlchobicztoi M i Sink! - pfearsnt discrtpaiiey b stw t , . ptoS that t&es*- <Us*s#s - FDA's , flodbga and M i casaed aa*rty 40 p r seat of Sinai's it da to a <iffiss8 " th$tiaf H^York-Wir . tartachaigua Jamfmbs&im work*,. w* not ae**tre eaoiij^.ta * tafcwKBt . n u d e a asb rta s .bekw a - Weiaeafiay by tba osnter1*- .eertab 1wi h said, .-- ' pernUmH, pr, ^Thorns CL Settlroff aba tosfe xoep- Omtimm, stdi. ,/ , ^.;tk>0to t tnsuod - f &* mir baby pcntder lt$f M l aM ^r.-Pedlfttete t*std b a t 1# reported to. D ip t that; busby tato- is safa- ww- iwbwta---|wBted > pr.eBt or the ai*t the.-samj}* w*# lb >* 6kL ad useftd. He saMi "t thisk they wat fiw to regret it,** Dr. Haraoe ILHofef, * a lr- nuur o f toe department Is a l 'M TbtgJm m powders a * d . to th study *%M bn p ^ . mesiber of the- board of di rector of Jotumcu & Joim~ d * d note tlusa three yearn *o.w f **Eemt M alyses by th FBA P'ood and Drug- Ad its, not to- rested sppreciabie aimountai & a * to s i talcaiB jww-* ei-J," Researehm to the Dept] ' v t Itoviranmentai Medicine; soais- iBstitate for Pediatric Sendee; lb # ixmrd idvtes* ^iatmaon Jdhucsan o s dis bursement o f Its funds for j pediatric research. Member * of th* board receivo m re j muneratian. Hades declined j to discuss Ms department's ; statement on. th sa fely of .! baby talc. , - i: have taken exception to seine j Jrt* of C h aises' rtadement ARCHIVES " MOUNT SINAI DX-8846 Page 4 of 5 fR .v'% *- ' * 2 f JS Jj 3 w 3 I `f -- `; t A ^ , ? Q S * fc-L I i 3 * : ^-*|#f?4.M0I * !#3" -sr< II* 'S* i, JV i <#0Bd y r s y - x o I o > C 70S 2 O ~t ! rSrt ^m 2