Samuel Epstein
[back] Cancer Industry critics

"We are not dealing with a scientific problem.  We are dealing with a political issue."--Samuel Epstein, M.D.

Dr Epstein is currently Chairman of the nation-wide Cancer Prevention Coalition.

[2009 Nov] Risks of Mammography: Hidden Role of the American Cancer Society

Mammography Is Dangerous Besides Ineffective, Warns Samuel S Epstein, M.D.

10 books including: the prize-winning 1978 The Politics of Cancer; the 1995 Safe Shopper's Bible; the 1998 Breast Cancer Prevention Program; the 1998 The Politics of Cancer, Revisited; the 2001 GOT (Genetically Engineered) MILK!  The Monsanto rBGH/BST Milk Wars Handbook; and the 2001 Unreasonable Risk.  How to Avoid Cancer from Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: The Neways Story.

Quotes
Winning the War Against Cancer?...Are They Even Fighting It? by Samuel Epstein

"The members of the generously funded cancer establishment include: the NCI; the ACS; a network of 57 National Cancer Centres, such as the prototypical New York's Memorial Sloane Kettering (MSK), whose annual budget exceeds $350 million; the NCI and ACS contractees and grantees at leading universities; and major pharmaceutical companies.   Cancer care is big business, not just science or charity, with cancer drug sales of well over $1 Billion annually.
     Actual connections between the cancer establishment and the drug development industrial complex, chemical, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, include Bristol-Myers Squibb, the nations largest chemotherapy drug producer, which controls key positions on Sloane Kettering's board....Another major component of the cancer drug industry is Sandoz Ohram Ltd (now Novaris)...which recently signed a $100 million cancer drug development deal with Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
      A more obvious conflict of interest relates to the 3 member Presidenially appointed Cancer Panel which controls NCI priorities and policies.  the most long standing past chairman of the panel was Benno Schmidt...senior drug company executive, and member of the MSK board.....followed by Armand Hammer, Chairman of Occidental Petroleum, a major polluting industry and manufacturer of carcinogenic chemicals."-Samuel Epstein

[2009 Nov] Risks of Mammography: Hidden Role of the American Cancer Society Five radiologists have served as presidents of the American Cancer Society (ACS). In its every move, the ACS promotes the interests of the major manufacturers of mammogram machines and films, including Siemens, DuPont, General Electric, Eastman Kodak, and Piker.  This bias hypes mammography, which Dr. Epstein and Rosalie Bertell, Ph.D. of the International Physicians for Humanitarian Medicine emphasize is an avoidable cause of breast cancer.
    "The mammography industry conducts research for the ACS and its grantees, serves on its advisory boards, and donates considerable funds," they warn. "DuPont also is a substantial backer of the ACS Breast Health Awareness Program; sponsors television shows and other media productions touting ACS literature for hospitals, clinics, medical organization, and doctors; produces educational films; and aggressively lobbies Congress for legislation promoting the nationwide availability of mammography services."
    In virtually all its actions, the ACS has been and remains strongly linked with the mammography industry. Meanwhile, it ignores or attacks breast self examination (BSE), following training by expert nurses or clinicians, which is the safe and effective alternative, say Drs. Epstein and Bertell.