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.

OPINION ONLY

Some key documents

• Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

1968 May: Report on Congressional testimony "Doctors Blast Anti-smoking Position" The article says:

Dr. Ronald Okun, director of clinical pharmacology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and assistant professor of medicine and pharmacology at the University of California, also accused the anti-cigarette partisans of drawing hasty conclusions from insufficient evidence.

    Asserting that scientists should not expouse a theory because it is popular, Dr. Okun said that as a scientist he "could find no positive effects that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer."

1969 Jan 26: Bill Shinn of Shook Hardy & Bacon is writing to the tobacco industry's corporate lawyer/executives about preparations being made for the Public Health Cigarette Act hearings, due in February. He lists one witness as:

Dr Ronald Okun
Director of Clinical Pharmacology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles
also
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of California at Los Angeles.

[All on this list are well-known, well-paid and well-established mercenary scientists for the tobacco industry.]

1969 May 8: "Doctors Blast Anti-Smoking Position" reports on those giving evidence for the tobacco industry at the recent House Commerce Committee hearings into the regulation of cigarette advertising and marketing.

Dr. Ronald Okun, director of clinical pharmacology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and assistant professor of medicine and pharmacology at the University of California, also accused the anti-cigarette partisans of drawing hasty conclusions from insufficient evidence.

    Asserting that scientists should not espouse a theory because it is popular, Dr. Okun said that as a scientist he "could find no positive effects that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer."

1976 June 2: Lawyer Don Hoel of Shook Hardy & Bacon writes to Andrew Whist, the Director of Corporate Affairs (dirty-tricks) at Philip Morris Australia. Whist is looking for tobacco-friendly scientists to bring out to Australia for some quick tours of the various states, to tell the media that cigarettes were harmless. He also wants some releasable material he can feed out to the local media.

    Hoel has sent thim a stack of statements by various compliant medical academics and scientists who can be trusted to say the right things. Dr Robert Okun, has made a statement at the hearings before the US Senate Subcommittee on Health.

1977: Special Account #4 Report of the Council for Tobacco Research (CTR). [This is the secret payment account handled by the lawyers]

The following represent present and known future commitments of Special Account No 4.

• The following are working on public smoking statements. The estimates are that compensation of time for these people will between $2,000 and $3,000.
  • Dr Charles Dunlap
  • Dr J Farris
  • Dr R Fisher
  • Dr A Furst
  • Dr R Hickey
  • Dr K Moser
  • Dr R Okun
  • Dr C Seltzer
  • Dr T Sterling
• There are some 20 to 30 scientists who have been, or will be seen, in connection with the preparation of public smoking statements. There will doubtless be expenses for compensation for time for many of these people . Testing expenses (for CO, etc.) in connection with public smoking presentations may also be expected.

[The term 'in support of public smoking' in tobacco industry parlance means that they will dismiss the possibility that second-hand smoke can harm non-smokers.]

1978 June: /E Okun is listed under Special Account #4 Consultancies (secret payments made via the lawyers). The Project is:

Preparation of statement re: public smoking — $2,000 - $3,000 estimated.

CONTRIBUTORS:TRMU dhf2 srs2