Medicine: The Columbia Choice

Columbia University had clearly precipitated itself into the midst of a medical-educational-ethical debate that could go on for years.

"Extraordinary sponsorship," said Dr. Ashbel C. Williams, president of the American Cancer Society, adding coolly that "we would welcome evidence on the biological effect of cigarettes with this new filter"—evidence that Strickman and Columbia might have been able to supply if they had held up their announcement for a few more months. One leading cancer researcher called it "downright peculiar" that Columbia had merely farmed out the filter experiments to a commercial laboratory—ignoring its own eminent medical researchers.

"One wishes the evidence would be...

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