Tell the EPA to Keep Biased Industry-Funded Scientists Off the Asbestos Panel of the Science Advisory Board
The Bush Administration may soon nominate several biased scientists who work for Big Industry to an Asbestos Panel of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB). At least of three nominees raise serious red flags: Dr. Bruce Case, Dr. Dennis Paustenbach, and Dr. Art Langer and possibly more. Now is the time to speak out against allowing such biased indiviuals to participate in forming our nation’s public policy on asbestos exposure. Contact the EPA before May 10 and tell the agency to keep these people off the Asbestos Panel.
Dr. Dennis Paustenbach has directed a scheme to distort the findings of a Chinese study linking chromium-6 in drinking water with an increase in stomach cancer, then published a paper under the byline of the original researcher, refuting the original findings. Paustenbach’s San Francisco-based firm, ChemRisk, was working for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in the infamous “Erin Brockovich” case, but concealed its role and the utility’s funding.
Dr. Paustenbach is now intent on convincing the world that chrysotile asbestos is not capable of causing mesothelioma. Chrystotile asbestos is used in 95% of all asbestos products sold in the US. Dr. Paustenbach recently spoke to the International Conference on Chrysotile where he talks about litigation proof research on asbestos disease causation.
Dr. Langer once warned of the hazards of asbestos exposure in the 1970s. In the past five years, Dr. Langer’s views have evolved to reflect the views of the defendant companies who now retain his services.
Tell the EPA not to allow these biased individuals on the Asbestos Panel. Write a letter to the EPA outlining your concerns. Time is of the essence. All comments must be received by May 10, 2007.
