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SCIENCE-THE DARK SIDE 263cancer research? It all came down to the fact that the AICR, like the
NAS, was pushing an agenda that connected diet and cancer.
The American Cancer Society became an especially vigorous detrac-
tor. In its eyes, the AICR had two strikes against it: it might compete for
the same funding donors, and it was trying to shift the cancer discus-
sion toward diet. The American Cancer Society had not yet acknowl-
edged that diet and nutrition were connected to cancer. (It wasn't until
many years later in the early 1990s that it developed dietary recom-
mendations to control cancer when the idea was receiving considerable
currency with the public.) It was very much a medically-based organi-
zation invested in the conventional use of drugs, radiation and surgery.
A short while before, the American Cancer Society had contacted our
NAS committee about the possibility of our joining them to produce
dietary recommendations to prevent cancer. As a committee, we de-
clined, although a couple of the people on our committee did offer their
individual services. The American Cancer Society seemed to sense a big
story on the horizon and didn't like the idea that another organization,
the AICR, might get the credit.MISINFORMATION
It may seem that I am coming down a tad harshly on an organization
that most people regard as purely benevolent, but the American Cancer
Society acted differently behind the scenes than it did in public.
On one occasion, I traveled to an upstate New York town where I
had been invited to give a lecture to the local chapter of the American
Cancer Society, as I had done elsewhere. During my lecture, I showed a
slide that made reference to the new AICR organization. I did not men-
tion my personal association, so the audience was not aware that I was
their senior science advisor.
After the lecture, I took questions and my host asked me, "Do you
know that AICR is an organization of quacks?"
"No," 1 said, "I don't." I'm afraid 1 didn't do such a good job of hid-
ing my skepticism of her comment, because she felt obliged to explain,
"That organization is being run by a group of quacks and discredited
doctors. Some of them have even served time in prison."
Prison time? This was news to me!
Again, without revealing my association with the AICR, 1 asked,
"How do you know that?" She said she saw a memo that had been cir-
culated to local American Cancer SOciety offices around the country.