These are just some of the many environmental health hazards like lead dust, mercury, asbestos, benzene, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls that have had devastating consequences on human health.103
In light of the fact that it takes around 17 years to go from scientific research to medical practice, evidence-based medicine has kept both clinicians and the public in the dark and provided the perfect platform for industry to generate profits at the cost of human health.
The question we need to ask ourselves is, ‘When is there sufficient evidence to act?’
The FOUR DOG DEFENSE explains the delay tactics employed by industry to keep their products in the marketplace:
1. My dog doesn’t bite. Industry denies their product is harmful and actively discredit any study or researcher that says otherwise. Industry responds by chanting “more research is needed” because they know the delay means billions of dollars in revenue the longer the product is on the market. Common methods employed by industry to keep their products on the market is to discredit animal studies on the basis that it doesn’t reflect humans (but cite animal studies when it suits them as evidence that their product is safe), and insist that researchers provide the exact mechanism by which the hazard induces harm before action is taken.104
For example, in 1994, the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) was commissioned to undertake a comprehensive literature review of the biological effects of radiofrequencies used in wireless technologies. Dr Stan Barnett authored the review and the funding was derived from the telecommunications industry (Telecom, Optus, and Vodafone). The Barnett report documented adverse health effects arising from power levels well below the existing safe standards for thermal (tissue heating) effects and called for the establishment of an effective research program to develop safety standards in order to achieve the trust of the public.105 The report was subsequently classified “Confidential” and withheld from publication. The researchers were later made redundant, because their report contradicted the opinion of the telecommunications industry and brought into question the credibility of the Australian government policy to promote telecommunications given that the government was a majority shareholder in a major telecommunications company.106 For numerous examples of industry discrediting researchers, read: Corporate Ties that Bind (2017).104
2. My dog bites, but it didn’t bite you. Industry concedes that their product may be harmful when the evidence becomes too great to deny, but don’t worry, the average person is not exposed. Corporations strategically use ‘bad’ science to validate and justify their actions and convince regulatory authorities, the media and the courts to delay action. To achieve this, they spend millions of dollars on public relations campaigns, or establish not-for-profit companies or scientific advisory boards that appear to be independent and unbiased. However they involve ‘industry scientists’ who are skilled at manipulating the data.104
Here are some examples:
· ‘Safe Buildings Alliance’ was established by asbestos companies aimed at downplaying asbestos hazards to discourage US schools from removing asbestos.107
· ‘Californians for Realistic Vehicle Standards’ was established by the automotive industry.108
· ‘Forest Protection Society’ was set up by the Australian timber industry.109
· Pharmaceutical sponsorship of breast cancer campaigns persuade grassroots groups to focus on early detection and treatment with the sponsor’s drugs, rather than focus on identifying the cause of the disease.110