STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
BIOLOGICAL TESTING
Telephone conversations 7th December, 1979.
Dr. R.A. Sanford, U.S.A.
I briefly explained our current concern, already
well known
to the C.A.C. countries regarding the level and
direction of effort
in the life sciences department. I explained that
we were currently
giving thought internally with the view to forming
at least a
preliminary decision within the next week or so. I
explained that at
this stage I am inclined to the views:
1 . we should maintain some activity if only for
defensive purposes
2. we have established a sound scientific
expertise in inhalation
testing which would be difficult to recapture
should we elect
to stop work
3. the other half of our activity namely mouse
skin painting by
external contract would not be so difficult to
re-start - at
almost any time inihe future
4. the tobacco companies are in the position that
they cannot
overtly use "good results" with new products,
additives etc
in a competitive marketing sense; they use
biological studies
to screen out possible "bad products" or to guide
developments.
I suggested, therefore, that we might well decide
to recommend
cessation of mouse skin painting and this would
mean we would not
undertake the proposed B16 study on cocoa (or
alternatively expanded
tobacco).
Bob confirmed the attitude expressed at the
Research Conference
that despite B & W1 s interest in casings, and
hence in cocoa, they did
not feel that their interest would justify a
significant proportion of the
total results or expenditure of GR&DC.
He agreed it would be relatively easy to take up
mouse skin
painting, or alternative relatively short term
testing,by placing
work with contract organisations.
/2
CZ11
(--4
ON
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BATCo document for Province of l3ritlSh Columbia 8
November 1999


Mr. R.M. Gibb, Canada
I introduced the subject on the same lines as
above, knowing
of course that ITL have no direct interest in
testing of casings.
Bob Gibb was firm, however, that in his view there
was no immediate
interest in mouse skin painting to check expanded
tobacco; there was
surely enough evidence available from Reynolds and
Philip 1"lorris that
expansion of the leaf did not lead to an
enhancement of noxious
components.
Bob expalined that the subject of mouse skin
painting had been
discussed at the Research Conference for many
years broadly on the
lines that "enough has surely been done and what
more can it tell us".
He believes it has continued, however, because
there has always been
one more experiment to do e.g. cocoa.
In summary he believes that ITL would go along
with whatever
B.A.T at the Centre decreed was necessary for the
Group as a whole.
If that meant stopping the major part of the work,
ITL would not object.
40-6
L.C.F. BLACKMAN
7.12.79
c.c. Mr. R.J. Pritchard
Mr. A.L. Heard
Dr. D.G. Felton
C:-D
BATCO document for Province of BritiSh Columbia 8
November 1999