Book!!!"Many of the basic causes of cancer were identified hundreds of years ago." Devra
Davis gives us yet more reasons to be distrustful of the
health care industry, big business, and the government in her book, The Secret History of the War on Cancer. The
health care industry, she asserts, only treats the symptoms of a
disease. Some of these treatments are as harmful as the disease
itself. Most of them are continued only because 'that's the way
it's always been done.' They don't look for ways to avoid the
disease. Even the American Cancer Society, alleged to be
searching for 'the cure,' only spends 10% of the money they receive on
research!!! Big business (Davis
uses examples from Dow, Monsanto, US Steel, etc) hires doctors to
research any potential problems with the chemicals they use,
suppressing anything that goes against the company's positive
image. The negative effects of their industries are considered
'trade secrets.' Anyone divulging them can be fined, sent to
prison, and basically have their lives ruined. It's cheaper in
the short run to continue to kill people . The
government's role in all this. Well, Rumsfeld got aspartame
on the market - a product known for several and often severe health
complications. Think about it, who contributes most to
politicians from either of the major political parties? Davis
writes well and from experience. She has seen many sides of the
cancer issue. She has worked in the medical research field for
more than a dozen years. She has buried her parents due to
cancers. The book is not all
gloom and doom. Davis shows examples of how individuals (some with
money like Theresa Heinz Kerry - think Pittsburg 15 years ago as
compared with today) are working for the greater good. Davis
goes into great detail about various studies and methods of
research. The book is not easy to read. Sometimes it's
almost like a chemistry textbook. But she does well explaining
what the research means in laymen's terms. Good book if you're
interested in the cancer issue. This review
is abbreviated. If I wrote all I had to say, I'd be better
off writing a doctoral thesis. (Said thesis would probably be
rejected because of the above mentioned industries.) | 
