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... GLPBAL NEWS ... NEWS CIA PSYCHIC MISINFORMATION? Human Radiation Experiments, which reported to President Clinton in early October ‘95. The groups, broadly represented by a body known as the Task Force on Radiation and Human Rights, have attacked the report for failing to recom- mend any medical follow-up to the experi- ments or compensation for subjects unable to prove that they experienced physical harm. President Clinton has offered "sincerest apologies to those citizens, their families and their communities" who were experi- mented on without their knowledge or con- sent, on behalf of the US Government. The activists want cash compensation for the victims and their families for their suf- fering, and they also want all experimental subjects to be formally notified of what happened, as well as be offered medical follow-up. To add insult to injury, it has been revealed more recently that the Department of Energy spent more than US$22 million researching the experiments and what hap- pened. This figure includes US$6.2 mil- lion spent by the Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments which rec- ommends that victims be financially com- pensated. “My only reaction to that is "Wow!" said Robert Newman, lawyer for the plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit involving radiation experiments. "That amount of money could certainly have settled all the claims.” (Sources: Nature, 12 October 1995; Sunshine Coast Daily, 27 December 1995) The Australian Government is being urged to get tough with bio-prospectors who poach Australia's marine resources for new drugs and chemicals. Dr Mary Garson of Queensland University has also criticised the wastage associated with bio-prospecting as "phe- nomenal", And she's right! For instance, one bio-prospecting group in the US recently isolated just 1 mg of an anticancer compound from almost half a tonne of 3-millimetre-sized tubeworms found in India. Another group collected 2.4 tonnes of an Indo-Pacific sponge which yielded less than 1 mg of another potent anticancer chemical; while 847 kilograms of moray eel livers were used to isolate 0.35 mg (yes, that's milligrams) of ciguatoxin for chemi- cal study. That's a lot of moray eels! Currently, bio-prospectors are ravaging the oceans around Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, but many fear that, as stocks are depleted further north, these agencies will move into Australian waters. (Source: The Weekend Australian, 16-17 December 1995) el iieteletned ete teted TES ay The Australian Government is being October '95. During the early part of December 1995, urged to get tough with bio-prospectors The groups, broadly represented by a many newspapers and journals reported on who poach Australia's marine resources for body known as the Task Force on _ the use of psychics by the CIA. new drugs and chemicals. Radiation and Human Rights, have The mainstream press reported it as a Dr Mary Garson of Queensland attacked the report for failing to recom- “proof that psychics don't work—that's University has also criticised the wastage mend any medical follow-up to the experi- why the CIA was dumping them” story, but associated with bio-prospecting as "phe- ments or compensation for subjects unable that is not entirely true. nomenal". And she's right! to prove that they experienced physical To start with, the $20-million US For instance, one bio-prospecting group harm. Government program to employ and evalu- in the US recently isolated just 1 mg of an President Clinton has offered "sincerest ate paranormal spying techniques covered anticancer compound from almost half a apologies to those citizens, their families more than just "psychics". One does not tonne of 3-millimetre-sized tubeworms and their communities" who were experi- have to be psychic to have an out-of-body found in India. mented on without their knowledge or con- experience, does one? Another group collected 2.4 tonnes of an _ sent, on behalf of the US Government. More importantly, the research was con- Indo-Pacific sponge which yielded less The activists want cash compensation for ducted by parts of the military/intelligence than 1 mg of another potent anticancer the victims and their families for their suf- community much higher up the pecking chemical; while 847 kilograms of moray fering, and they also want all experimental order than the CIA. It was when the ‘big eel livers were used to isolate 0.35 mg (yes, subjects to be formally notified of what boys upstairs’ had picked the project clean that's milligrams) of ciguatoxin for chemi- happened, as well as be offered medical for themselves that they tossed the carcass cal study. That's a lot of moray eels! follow-up. down to the CIA for a cursory but ritual Currently, bio-prospectors are ravaging To add insult to injury, it has been sneer and the subsequent media Jeak. the oceans around Malaysia, Thailand, revealed more recently that the Department Only a few newspapers picked up the Vietnam and Indonesia, but many fear that, of Energy spent more than US$22 million fact that the Defense Intelligence Agency as stocks are depleted further north, these researching the experiments and what hap- (DJA) conducted most of the work on the agencies will move into Australian waters. pened. This figure includes US$6.2 mil- program, which was only recently declassi- (Source: The Weekend Australian, 16-17 _jion spent by the Advisory Committee on fied. December 1995) Human Radiation Experiments which rec- When the DIA had finished with it, they ommends that victims be financially com- passed it onto the CIA which then got two OUTRAGE CONTINUES OVER US __ pensated. analysts, Jessica Utts, a statistics professor RADIATION EXPERIMENTS ON “My only reaction to that is 'Wow!" said at the University of California, and Ray CITIZENS Robert Newman, lawyer for the plaintiffs Hyman, a psychology professor at the Groups representing individuals who _ ina class-action lawsuit involving radiation University of Oregon, to evaluate the work. were the subject of human radiation experi- experiments. "That amount of money The report by Utts and Hyman to the ments in the United States after WWII have could certainly have settled all the claims." — Senate Appropriations Committee basically reacted with outrage at the main findings of (Sources: Nature, 12 October 1995; said that the program yielded some positive the President's Advisory Committee on Sunshine Coast Daily, 27 December 1995) resuits, but there was no statistical evidence that could be drawn either to verify or deny ee its value to the intelligence community. MENU, ScROLL EMA AOE] — (Sources: Nature, 7 December 1995; The ara “*" | Guardian Weekly, w/e 19 December 1995; TECHNOPHOBE. ’ The Australian, 6 December 1995) MOBILE PHONES MAY "COOK" EARS Apart from fears that mobile phones are just mobile ID tags (see Letters to the Editor this issue), a senior physician in Denmark has warned that using a mobile phone may "cook" your ear! According to Ole Svane, the transmitter inside the instrument generates an electro- 4 magnetic field similar to that of a ===] microwave oven. In a Danish Government report prepared for the European Commission, Mr Svane says he fears the phones are damaging the delicate cartilage and bone of the ear. (Source: Sunshine Coast Daily, 23 December 1995) OUTRAGE CONTINUES OVER US RADIATION EXPERIMENTS ON CITIZENS Groups representing individuals who were the subject of human radiation experi- ments in the United States after WWII have reacted with outrage at the main findings of the President's Advisory Committee on MOBILE PHONES MAY "COOK" EARS 8 ¢ NEXUS BEWARE THE BIO-PROSPECTORS FEBRUARY-MARCH 1996