Printer Friendly Version from http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/

National Cancer Institute Pulls Inaccurate Web Page Repudiating Abortion-Breast Cancer Link

July 2, 2002

The president of a women’s group, the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, reported today that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has taken down an inaccurate web page discussing the abortion-breast cancer research. The NCI’s fact sheet has been heavily criticized in recent months by this women’s group, a prominent scientist [1], at least three physicians and 28 members of Congress, including Rep. Dave Weldon, M.D. [2] They’ve objected to the agency’s misrepresentation of the research, reliance on erroneous studies, confusion of the effects of miscarriage and abortion, inclusion of false statements and refusal to acknowledge the deleterious effects of abortion on the confirmed breast cancer risk factor - postponement of first full term pregnancy.

Mrs. Karen Malec, president of the women’s group, said, "We're delighted that the National Cancer Institute has pulled its web page discussing the abortion-breast cancer link. The web page misinformed women about research paid for by U.S. taxpayers and even contained lies about the findings reported in the medical literature.” [3]

Early last month, 28 members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson requesting a review of the NCI’s fact sheet and calling its information “scientifically inaccurate and misleading to the public.” They asked Secretary Thompson to check the web page “for accuracy and bias” and to take it down until after the conclusion of the review.

The congressional representatives scored the agency for having suggested that “women who have had either induced or spontaneous abortions have the same risk as other women for developing breast cancer,” when in fact 28 out of 37 studies worldwide and 13 of 15 American studies report risk elevations. [Reference: http://abortionbreastcancer.com/ABC_Research.htm] They condemned the NCI for depending on a single study, Melbye et al. 1997, to deny a relationship between abortion and the disease, “although that study contains many significant flaws.” [4]

"In 1999, the agency was accused by a scientist of publishing an 'outright lie,'” reported Mrs. Malec, “because it said on its website that, 'The scientific rationale for an association between abortion and breast cancer is based on limited experimental data in rats and is not consistent with human data.' However, the NCI had paid, at least in part, for most of the 13 American studies done by that date, and all but one of them had reported increased risk.”

Mrs. Malec concluded, "We strongly encourage the NCI to come clean and to tell the truth. Tell women how many studies report risk elevations. Fully disclose the strong biological and epidemiological evidence which has been gathered since 1957 and which implicates abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer." The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer is an international women’s organization founded to protect the health and save the lives of women by educating and providing information on abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer.

References:

1. “Latest Web Page from the National Cancer Institute: A well cooked bowl of factoids,” by Joel Brind, Ph.D.; RFM News, March 23, 2002; http://abortionbreastcancer.com/Public_Policy.htm

2. U.S. Representative Chris Smith, et al. (June 7, 2002) Letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson.

 3. Press Release, Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer; March 20, 2002.

4. Melbye et al. (1997) New Engl J Med 336:81-5.