Correspondence with Richard L. Doty, Ph.D. (University of Pennsylvania Medical Center) Subject: your letter to me dated December 21, 2000 Dear Ms. White: Although I recall receiving an invitation to participate as a peer reviewer for Philip Morris, I don't recall having accepted. Certainly I have received no monies from them. Do you have independent verification of my acceptance? I don't recall having accepted this peer review post, as my time as very limited. In the remote possibility that I did so, it would have been in the spirit of promoting good science, not promoting the sales of cigarettes. Please let me know what information you have about this, as I don't believe I agreed to serve as one of their peer reviewers. Sincerely, Richard L. Doty, Ph.D. 12/29/2000 Ð Response to Dr. Doty Dear Dr. Doty, Many thanks for your prompt reply to our letter. Whether or not you accepted the invitation to be a peer reviewer, Philip Morris included your name on its list of peer reviewers, and your name and institutional affiliation is being used to legitimize their ExternalResearch Program. As an organization that has worked extensively on tobacco control advocacy we are acutely aware of how Philip Morris uses "independent" researchers to further its objectives, i.e. protect its business against any threat that would lower sales of cigarettes. One of the threats the industry fears most is the banning of smoking in public places. Such bans recognize the rights of nonsmokers to a smoke-free environment andhelp to de-normalize smoking in public. We understand your interest in "promoting good science," but question Philip Morris's ulterior motives in promoting an external research program. Much of the externalresearch it has funded in the past has been used for political purposes. We would be interested in discussing this issue further with you. I am available today (Friday) until 6pm and Tues-Fri. next week. If, in fact, you are sure that you will not serve as a peer reviewer or assist the company's external research program in any other capacity, we would request that you notify Philip Morris of your decision. It is important that we have official confirmation of where you stand on the issue, as we and others are closely monitoring the company's involvement with researchers in the U.S. and around the world. Again, many thanks for your reply and best wishes in the New Year, Coordinator, Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control Subject: Re: your letter to me dated December 21,2000 If you would be so kind as to provide me with an e-mail address at PhillipMorris that I could send a statement to them that I have declined being oneof their external reviewers, I would appreciate it. Thank you. Copy of letter sent by Dr. Doty to the Philip Morris External Research Program on January 3, 2001 Max Eisenberg, Ph.D. Dear. Dr. Eisenberg: It has come to my attention that I am being listed as an extramural reviewer for your research program. Unfortunately, I am too busy to be such a reviewer and I would respectfully request that you not list me as such. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Sincerely, Richard L. Doty, Ph.D. |