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· Memo to Editors

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FROM: Dr. Thmnas C. Chalme~s
President, Mount Sinai Medical Center
New York, New York

Recent. 1nedia reports concerning research on talcum
powder carried out by the Mount Sinai Medical Center created
consid7!:able confusion on the part of the public.

The Medical

Center has issued the following state:ment in order to correct any
misinterpretation or misimpres sions the media reports may have
generated.

·Dr.· Thomas C. Chalmers
Pn~sident, Mount Sincd 1v1edical Center
New York, New York

March 23, 1976

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.. ~~~~cted Documenl-~tibjed t~~~~~dive Order

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.FROM: . Mount Sinai 1kdic2.1 Center
New Y(nk, New Yo1:k
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March 23, 1976

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New York, N. Y. -- Recently data from. research carried out in
the Mount Sinai 1vfedical Center for the last four years on the asbestos content
of some talcun-1 powders was cited in the press before it had been published. in
a scientific journal.

The original purpose of this research was to develop

. effective techniques for measuring the presence of asbestos in talc.

The

problem has . practical irr..plications because prolonged exposure to certain
forms of asbestos can cause cancer.

The research work was of the highest

technical quality and a significant contribution to t.he field.

However, in the

process of developing these new methods, the samples actually used had been

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purchased more t..'-J.an hvo years ago, a f2_ct whicl1 was not mentioned in the media
,reports • .Furthermore, the discovery of asbestos in some talcum powders by
'the Mount Sinai investigators was reported to
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t..~e

Food and Drug Admii:;istration

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iat that Erne, and undoubtedly stirnulated.some manufacturers to chai1.ge th~ir
.sources of talc, so that recent analyses by the FDA have not revealed appreciable

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i amounts of asbestos in any samples . .
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The Mount Sinai Meclicc_l Center "\vishes to cori·ect certain confus:.ons
which the reporting of these data may have generated:
1) A..YJ.y implication in the news stories that most of the talcum

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currently on the market contains asbestosis not borne out by the most

recent data from the FDA, although co:nthn:~.i..-·1g surveillance is indicated.

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2) Although the news

medic~

of talcum po\vders advertised for babies,
reported to show

<~,.sbestos

was five years old.

specifica.ll)• emphasized the cla.'1gcrs
L~e

only baby powder· tested that \r.·as

represents less ti1.an lo/o of the market, and t.,_at san1p!e

The mostcorrunonly used baby talc has been consistently

free o£ asbestos.
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3) It is the opinion of Mount Sinai's Deparhnent of Pediatrics

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t.hat baby talc is a useful and safe product.

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. .Education of the public in respect to health matters is an important
responsibility of Academic Health Centers.

Educational efforts by such centers

. must be based on sound scientific principles and must be calculated to provide
n1aximurn benefit for the corrrmunity . .
Dissemination of research data on which health recommendations
can be based m.ust occur via peer-reviewed scientific publications.

The inevitable

existence of conflicting data requires that information be made available first
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to other properly trained experts who may be expected to interpret thern
individually or through official agencies or

comrr~ittees.

The latter is slm•.r ·

but appreciably rnore reliable than public debates that are fragmented in the
reporting.
This experience emphasizes the need for constant vigilance in
ensuring that the transition period between discovery of important health related
iterns and t11.eir revelation to the public is handled with proper attention to the

fl

~curacy

of details, as required in scientific publications.

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