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Mon, 28 Feb 2005 18:12:52 EST |
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Winnie,
You wrote, "The answer, I fear is that in today's economic climate we can't."
Can't? I think we all feel overwhelmed by how difficult it is for a society
to create good science. But can't means that it is impossible.
If we refuse to believe something is possible, then truly it becomes
impossible because we can not envision the reality. If we all believe that good
science is impossible then we won't have good science. We will accept sloppy and
inaccurate science, and our reality will only encompass what industries have
chosen to create.
Government research and development uses quite a bit of tax money. But
government research is not "pure" science any more than universities have pure
science. Both institutions are in mutually beneficially relationships with
industry. Government researchers often are funded by major industries as
consultants. They quit their jobs with government to head major industries and then
quit industry to head government departments. This back and forth movement
creates ties and sympathies that make independence very difficult.
I see the answer being accountability. All researchers and professional
journals must hold to standards and part of those standards is disclosure of
financial interests that might cause research to be slanted. Not disclosing those
interests, should result in punishment--loss of credentials, fines, etc.
You wrote, "even the pump companies gain financially only when breastfeeding
isn't done exclusively at the breast." Very true and why we need disclosures
regarding funding and why we need to evaluate carefully all funding in regard
to research, conferences, and our businesses. It's not just infant formula
funding that is a slippery slope.
Valerie W. McClain, breastfeeding advocate
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