International Journal of Epidemiology 2003;32:658-659
© International Epidemiological Association 2003
Letters to the Editor |
Epidemiology on the side of the angels ... or the people?
Instituto de Epidemiología y Salud Comunitaria ‘Manuel Amunárriz’. Apdo. 17-10-7410, Quito, Ecuador. E-mail: vaa-ps@ecuanex.net.ec
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We thank Siemiatycki for his commentary1 on our study on cancer incidence in relation to residence near oilfields in the Amazon basin of Ecuador.2 His comments have helped us to reflect on the way we work in general and the above study in particular. We would like to share some points with the reader. He comments on three areas: strength of evidence, the replicability of the study, and the public health recommendations that can be made.
Firstly, strength of evidence: The chemical components of toxic wastes produced during oil activities are numerous and the health effects are documented only for a handful of these. Even less is known about the effects of these components in interaction with each other.3 This is the first study evaluating cancer incidence in relation to residence near oil fields and we found significant risks for several types of cancers, some of which have also been
INRS_Institut Armand Frappier, Université du Québec, 531 Blvd. des Praines, Laval, Québec H7V 1B7, Canada. E-mail: jack.siemiatycki@inrs-iaf.uquebec.ca
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