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WARNING: This site deals only with the corporate corruption of science, and makes no inference about the motives or activities of individuals involved.
    There are many reasons why individuals become embroiled in corporate corruption activities - from political zealotry to over-enthusiastic activism; from gullibility to greed.
    Please read the OVERVIEW carefully, and make up your own mind.



TOBACCO INDUSTRY EXPLANATORY
• ABBREVIATIONS
• JARGON
• SPIN-MEISTERS
• INITIALS
• FIRST & NICKNAMES
RELEVANT LINKS
EAR, NOSE & THROAT GROUP• Joseph H Ogura
• Alden A Miller
• George Sisson
• Harold G Tabb
TOBACCO LAWYERS• Shook Hardy & Bacon
• William W Shinn
• Alexander Holtzman



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E-mail the editor (below).

Alden A Miller     [MD]    

(aka Alden H (wrong initial))

Miller was one of four Otolaryngologists who decided to jointly provide support for the tobacco industry in Congressional Hearings into the need for cigarette packets to carry warning labels in 1965. They each supported the statement that: "We believe that it has yet to be proved that cigarette smoking is a causal factor in laryngeal cancer."

He was, Head of Department and Clinical Professor of Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Southern Californian, School of Medicine


At the 1965 Congressional Hearings into the need for warning labels on cigarette packs, Drs Ogura, Miller, Sisson and Tabb made a joint statement denying any links between smoking and laryngeal cancer. The tobacco industry was quick to circulate the joint statement widely in support of their position that cigarettes were not a health hazard.

The four specialists were probably paid the normal 'expert' witness fees to appear at these hearings (which was quite generous), and some of the group went on to become regulars, and all-purpose repudiators of the anti-smoking claims of other health professionals.

However it does not appear that Miller developed any further relationship with the tobacco industry, and within the narrow confines of the then existing evidence about smoking-related diseases, "laryngeal cancer" and the arguments about statistical proofs of "causation", his brief involvement with the industry was not highly significant.

DISAMBIGUATION

There are numerous Alden Millers. This one is a prominent ear,nose and throat specialist who gave evidence at the 1965 Congressional Hearnings that supported the tobacco industry.
    However there is another in the archives who worked in the American R&D section of Brown & Williamson in 1981. It seems highly unlikely that these two are the same person, but we can't untangle them with any confidence, so be wary about making judgements. (Perhaps a son?)
    There's also a prominent naturalist, and a psychiatrist with the same name.

1965 /E: This is either a Tobacco Institute or Philip Morris list of collaborating scientists who can be trusted to give pro-industry support. His associate Ogara is listed among the Otolaryngologists, as an industry helper (implicating him as co-author).

    We know from the later payments made to Dr George Sisson that each specialist would have received about $5 - 6,000 for their testimony.

1965 March 22-30: and April 1-3 S&H Hearings of the Committee of Commerce, US Senate.

1965 April: 6-8 and May 4 S&H Hearings of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives.
 

1965 March: - May: The tobacco industry is circulating the joint statement of Ogura, Miller, Sisson and Tabb at the Congressional Hearings.:

"We believe that it has yet to be proved that cigarette smoking is a causal factor in laryngeal cancer."

1966 Feb 28: William Shinn (Lawyer of Shook Hardy & Bacon) has sent his partner a list of the Doctors (and others) who testified for the tobacco industry at the Congressional Hearings, with notes about how confidentially the evidence of each needs to be treated. Ogura's presentation was co-authored with three others. Shinn states:

22. Dr. Alden Miller: (Co-author with Ogura) No memo.
25. Dr. Joseph H. Ogura : (Co-author with Miller, Sisson and Tabb) No memo.
32. George Sisson : (Co -author with Ogura) No memo.
36 . Dr Harold Tabb: (Co-author with Ogura) No memo.

[Presumably they have failed to reply to the request to allow reprints to be circulated.]

[Note that this was BEFORE the vast majority of doctors and pathologists, etc. came to accept the evidence against smoking. Many of them still smoked.]

1966 May: He is being listed by lawyer Alex Holtzman of Philip Morris as having given evidence for the industry at the Congressional Hearings into cigarette labelling.

    This appears to have been a Philip Morris operation conducted through Kansas City lawyers, Shook Hardy & Bacon (rather than the Tobacco Institute)
    Holtzman is sending copies of the statements to Toney File (sic) of the Tobacco Institute.

NOTE

    It is important to remember that in 1965-6 period, specialist doctors and surgeons were generally ignorant of research outside their speciality, and they were often very arrogants and generally dismissive of anyone making a health claim who wasn't a prominent member of their particular medical fraternity. Many of them still smoked.

But five years later, by 1970-1, the evidence was clear-cut. Only doctors who were well behind the times, extremely ignorant, or receiving regular grants or payments from the tobacco industry (plus a smattering of anti-activist political zealots) were able to dismiss the overwhelming evidence that smoking was a major cause in lung-cancer.

By 1975-6, most doctors were also convinced that tobacco was a major source of coronary heart diseases (CHD). Only those with totally ossified mental facilities (note the number of "Emeritus" professors recruited), and those making significant income from tobacco companies, were now willing to openly defend the industry. Many others were only willing to help the industry if their involvement was concealed.

By the 1980s, the message had also permiated down into the non-medical sciences. Knowledge about the dangers of smoking was widespread among the general public and had begun to influence statisticians. It also became apparent to even the dullest of economists, and by the late 1980s, even the most hardened journalists had caught up with the news.

1967 Jun 23: John V Blalock's review for Brown & Williamson has a friends-and-enemies list, and medical/scientific quotes. He is listed as one of "Those who expressed doubt before US Congress of smoking-disease relationship."

1981 Jan 8: This Alden Miller appears to be a research scientist at B&W working on tar and nicotine. [It is probably not be the same person]

1987 Jan 20: This Alden Miller is participating in Menthol Panel Testing at RJ Reynolds — which suggests that he is a tobacco scientist, swapping companies.

1987 March 13: He is involved in a RJ Reynolds Pulmonary Function Test (as a subject) when RJR is testing its employees.

WORTH READING














CONTRIBUTORS:in22 TRMU LR13


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