Asbestos International Association Panel Papers and Statements That Require Answers (1978)

Five pages of papers for the Asbestos International Association's meetings of December 7 and 8, 1978, from the files of John H. Marsh of Raybestos-Manhattan (stamped JHM). They hold the roster of the association's Industrial Medical Advisory Panel, company doctors from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, South Africa, Britain and the United States (Dr. H. C. Lewinsohn of Raybestos-Manhattan sent apologies), convened by Dr. Robert Murray; a note of November 27, 1978, on the scope of its new Public Relations Advisory Panel, for agenda item 4.5 of the 11th Executive Committee meeting; the roster of its Medical Advisory Panel; and a list of twelve "Statements That Require Answers."

What it shows

The note on the public relations panel reports that Dr. Gaze, supported by Sir Neville (Stack), proposed to give the panel's consultants "a series of 12 assertions frequently met with" and ask them "to propose the best possible answers." The consultants replied that they would not be of great use if their work "only revolves around the language to be held," and asked to follow public opinion country by country and advise on the position to take before international regulators, "particularly the EEC" (the European Economic Community). The twelve statements listed include "It is a carcinogen for which there is no safe lower limit," "Families of workers are at risk," "Blue is a special danger" (crocidolite) and "Asbestos should be banned." The panel's roster and a list of coming scientific conferences are in Asbestos International Association Public Relations Advisory Panel, Forthcoming Conferences and EEC-Canada Cooperation (1978); an earlier executive committee meeting is in Asbestos International Association Executive Committee Minutes on Refuting the Califano Statistics (1978).