Sharp v Port Kembla RSL Club: establishing causation of laryngeal cancer by environmental tobacco smoke

Langlands, Allan O; Gebski, Val J

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2002.tb04490.x

Topics

Statistics, epidemiology and research design

To the Editor: Consensus exists that the provision of medical advice must be based on the correct interpretation of the evidence base. It is logical to assume that consideration should also apply to the provision of medical opinion in cases of medical litigation. The recent article on Sharp v Port Kembla RSL Club1 raises concerns which require wider debate.

NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW.

Correspondence: val@ctc.usyd.edu.au

1. Stewart BW, Semmler PCB. Sharp v Port Kembla RSL Club: establishing causation of laryngeal cancer by environmental tobacco smoke. Med J Aust 2002: 176; 113-116.
2. Zhang ZF, Morgenstern H, Spitz MR, et al. Environmental tobacco smoking, mutagen sensitivity, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2000; 9: 1043-1049.

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