L. Bero, D. E. Barnes, P. Hanauer, J. Slade and S. A. Glantz Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA. OBJECTIVETo examine the involvement of tobacco industry lawyers in the selection of tobacco industry scientific research projects and to examine how the research was used to influence public policy. DATA SOURCESDocuments from Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation, the British American Tobacco Company BAT, and other tobacco interests provided by an anonymous source, obtained from Congress, and received from the private papers of a former BAT officer. STUDY SELECTIONAll available materials, including confidential reports regarding research and internal memoranda exchanged between tobacco industry lawyers. CONCLUSIONSThe involvement of tobacco industry lawyers in the selection of scientific projects to be funded is in sharp contrast to the industrys public statements about its review process for its external research program. Scientific merit played little role in the selection of external research projects. The results of the projects were used to generate good publicity for the industry, to deflect attention away from tobacco use as a health danger, and to attempt, sometimes surreptitiously, to influence policymakers.

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