December 22, 1953 AV FRANK STATEMENT 70 THE PUBLIC ALE WusTenirgy sOoTETY BY THE MAKERS OF CIGARETTES OF Wace, Archives Division The mamufacturers of cigarettes accept, among thelr basic respon sibilities, the protection of people's health, fe hold this responsibility paranount to every other consideration in the conduct of our business. Yor this reason, we are disturbed ty recent widely publicized reports of certain medical studies Linking cigarette smoking with lung cancer, 421 medical rosearch is in the public interest and none of St can ever be Lightly dismissed or disregarded. Sut it vould bo unfortumte for the public to reach hasty conclusions on the basis of inconclusive research findings. Many recent reports in the news have dealt only with the vork of one group of research workers, They have ignored completely other authorities of equal scientific standing who assert the lack of any proof that cigarette smoking causes cancer, Careful and consctentious examiastion of all medical stuties reveals no general agreement regarding the cause of lung cancer. There are ny possible causes. ‘there ia'no clear and accepted ovidence that cigarette snoking’ is fone of these causes Wedical science has no greater challenge than to track down the rent causes of this disease. ‘the problea is one of deep concern to us. e are anxious to have At solved regardless of any implications it my have for cur industry.STATE & OF iia Archive Bisison Should cigarette smoking be proven ae 2 cause of the disease, ways mist and would be found te isolate and renova the damaging clenonts Weanvhite, we pledge our aid to the research effort. As individual companies we have long worked with the medical profession Now, we are launching a joint progran supported by adequate funds to be devoted to fostering mdical research into the causes of cancer. This research will be conducted by medical institutions already selected for their unquestioned selentific standing. He believe it to be an obligetion on the part of everyone to co- operate with this great work, if only to the extent of getting periodic nedical examinations. By this means, the doctors ill be helped in their efforts to identify the cause of cancer beyond #11 doubt this statement is being issued because ve believe the people are entitled to know where ve stand on ® problem of such vital concern to the health of the nation, They are entitied to know that so far in all of the vast realn of medical research, there 1s no positive proof that cigarette smoking ds the cause of cancer or any other serious human ailnent THE CIGARETTE RESEARCH AND INFOMATION COMMITTEE (Nanos of companies to be Listed)