PRIVATE ENTERPRISE TRUTH VERSUS OFFICIAL LIES ABOUT ASTHMA
RE: New Campaign Targets Asthma Awareness in Cities. Survey Results Show Disturbingly Few People Aware of Roach-Asthma Link. PR Newswire 05/07/98 0858.
QUOTE FROM ARTICLE: Fewer than one percent of Americans can identify roaches as a leading cause of asthma attacks in inner cities, according to the results of a new survey released today.
The survey was conducted by Louis Harris and Associates for "Fight Asthma Now!" a nationwide campaign trying to raise awareness of the link between roaches and the high rate of asthma among inner-city children. "The word simply isn't getting to the people who need it the most," said Nancy Sander, president of Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics (AAN/MA), which along with HOPE for Kids and The Clorox Company's Combat Insect Control Systems, is spearheading the campaign. "May is Asthma Awareness Month and we need to do everything we can to focus attention on the triggers of a disease that's become more deadly than ever."
COMMENTS: The study referred to is "The role of cockroach allergy and exposure to cockroach allergen in causing morbidity among inner city children with asthma," by DL Rosenstreich et al. NEJM 1997 May 8;336(19):1356-1363. In this study, "smoking status of the care giver" and "number of smokers in the household" were considered for covariates, but dropped for lack of effect on risk. Clearly, we smokers have a direct interest in helping to spread the word to the public.
In addition, the strongest risk factor for asthma that has yet been found is Chlamydia trachomatis infection, which also causes the sexually transmitted disease "Chlamydia," and the eye infection, "trachoma." A study by E Bjrnsson and others found that it is an even stronger risk factor than Chlamydia pneumoniae (Serology of Chlamydia in relation to asthma and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Scan J Infect Dis 1996;28(1):63-69).
The odds ratio for serologically identified current or recent Chlamydia trachomatis infection for asthma this year is 13.9 (95% CIs 3.0-64.8). This odds ratios is as large as the odds ratios claimed for active smoking and lung cancer.
This large odds ratio means that studies which have failed to consider the role of C trachomatis infection are fatally flawed. They can be presumed to be confounded with smoking, because of smokers' and passive smokers' established riskier sexual behavior. None of the studies cited by the anti-smokers to blame smoking have done so. They are all fatally defective.
Infection by C trachomatis may even be the underlying risk factor for susceptibility to asthma induced by cockroach and other antigens. Meanwhile, in a news story this very same day, the anti-smoking criminalsfrom the Centers from Disease Control were obfuscating to an American Medical Association briefing about the reasons for the continuing epidemic of asthma among people of all ages (U.S. doctors mystified by increase in asthma. Reuters, New York. RTos 7 May 98 15:49 EDT).
Dr Stephen Redd of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claimed that "there's got to be some kind of environmental exposure, but
exactly what that is really isn't known."
And Dr Irwin Redlener, president of the Children's Health Fund, New York, claimed that tobacco smoke was a factor behind the increase (despite declining rates of smoking and numerous draconian smoking bans since the asthma epidemic began!).
Thus, it is no mystery why the word isn't getting out to the people who need it most, or anyone else. These so-called "experts," and their media accomplices, are lying to us and concealing the truth, to protect their anti-smoking persecution at the cost of children's lives!
Counterpoint by
Carol Thompson
5-8-98
Smokers' Rights Action Group
P.O. Box 259575
Madison, WI 53725-9575
Phone: 608-249-4568