29th September 2009
Advertising Standards Authority [ASA ] upholds Asbestos Watchdog’s complaint about the accuracy of the HSE’s advertising campaign that claims 4500 deaths pa from asbestos exposure
The Asbestos Watchdog was forced to make this complaint as the HSE have refused (for over 9 years) to discuss our concerns that they were suppressing and ignoring relevant science (much of it their own) that clearly disputed the mortality rates from asbestos exposure. This is contrary to their own charter which dictates that they must consider ALL available scientific data.
After many months of attempting to justify their evidence for promoting this campaign the HSE failed to convince the ASA as to the validly of the data they were supplying.
After the publication of the ASA decision Watchdog and Prof Bridle were again exposed to the predicable tirade of abuse that accompanies any suggestion that the risks associated with white asbestos have been exaggerated.
The abuse on the web sites is now being classed as breaching the new criminal offence of ‘Aggressive Harassment’. Thanks to a bit of detective work most of the culprits behind this abuse have been identified and a file has been sent to a senior police fraud officer for action. This includes some members of parliament as well as BBC journalists and claims lawyers. Assuming we get a new government the new evidence will be used to apply for a full pardon for Prof Bridle.
We have set out below the details of the complaint made to the ASA:
The Advertising Standards Authority [ASA] have recently upheld our complaint about the HSE’s massive advertising campaign claiming that asbestos kills 4500 workers every year. That was further refined to claim that 9 plumbers, 9 carpenters, and 9 electricians will die every week from asbestos exposure. The HSE must now stop making these exaggerated claims.
The ASA, after an initial investigation, were satisfied that this was a commercial advertising campaign and not a government information promotion. The ASA asked us to provide evidence to support our complaint and below is the text of our submission using only HSE statistics:
We have evidence to show that the UK Government and the HSC and HSE have deliberately and systematically deceived the public over the risks from asbestos and white asbestos in particular. I will include some of the more important data on the next page.