Day 037 - 14 Oct 94 - Page 06

     
     1        commerce.  I am very much aware that marketing can be used
     2        as a tool for good or ill; I would prefer that it were
     3        used as a tool for good.
     4
     5   Q.   When you say you translate medical and scientific findings
     6        into language easily understood, you are not claiming any
     7        specific medical or scientific knowledge yourself?
     8        A.  By no means.
     9
    10   Q.   But you are aware of medical opinion?
    11        A.  Certainly.  It is obviously my job to be aware.  In
    12        some instances, I have formed the conclusion that I am in
    13        advance of, perhaps, the majority of medical opinion.
    14
    15   Q.   But you cannot claim any expertise?
    16        A.  No.  For the purpose of the court, I would certainly
    17        describe myself as a well-informed layman.
    18
    19   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  One thing you might -- again it is a matter
    20        for you -- bear in mind; I have read both of Mr. Cox's
         statements overnight and where he touches on matters in
    22        relation to association, linked with, or causation of
    23        disease which Dr. Barnard (who is medically qualified) has
    24        already dealt with, you will, no doubt, ask yourselves
    25        whether you need Mr. Cox to go over the same ground.
    26
    27   MR. MORRIS:  That is what I was basically establishing there.
    28
    29   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  But despite that possible reservation, do
    30        you want me again to take Mr. Cox's statements as part of
    31        his evidence or not in this case?
    32
    33   MR. MORRIS:  Because of that nature I think I prefer to go
    34        through it.  (To the witness):  The British Medical
    35        Association has asked you to write an article, has it not,
    36        for this magazine; what was that about?
    37        A.  Yes.  The editor of the BMA's News Review asked me to
    38        do that, about meat, impact on diet and health and, of
    39        course, the medical perception of meat as a health hazard
    40        or otherwise.  Now, of course, my testimony was written
         last year, and the article duly appeared and I was very
    42        grateful for the BMA to give me the opportunity and the
    43        platform to do that.
    44
    45   Q.   When you say the "perception", you said in your statement
    46        "deceptive marketing of meat products".  Did it have a
    47        marketing theme?
    48        A.  Oh, certainly, yes.  I mean, the article itself was
    49        quite an angry article, in fact, because one of the
    50        questions I am most frequently asked as I talk and do 
    51        radio phone-ins and various other public engagements is, 
    52        if there is this weight of evidence that shows that the 
    53        vegetarian and -- I think let us be rather more specific
    54        here -- the vegan diet, in fact, which is both meat free
    55        and animal free, if there is this weight of medical and
    56        scientific evidence, why is it that my doctor does not
    57        know about it and does not tell me?  I think that is a
    58        very fair question.
    59
    60   Q.   I do not think we want to go into that in this court.