Abstract
For many years The Lancet has advocated on behalf of the Palestinians, sometimes justifiably, but often unjustifiably. On several occasions, I have protested against a distinguished medical journal advocating political issues—only tangentially medical. Now, the latest Lancet salvo is fired under the innocent title “Improving forensic investigation for polonium poisoning” (Oct 12, p 1308).1Froidevaux P Baechler S Bailat CJ et al.Improving forensic investigation for polonium poisoning.Lancet. 2013; 382: 1308Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (9) Google Scholar In this report (about Yasser Arafat's death), the authors state that “several samples containing body fluid stains (blood and urine) contained higher unexplained 210Po activities than the reference samples”.1Froidevaux P Baechler S Bailat CJ et al.Improving forensic investigation for polonium poisoning.Lancet. 2013; 382: 1308Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (9) Google Scholar No laboratory numerical data are provided; nor how many different samples showed increased activity or how urine stains were identified. It is shocking and reprehensible that The Lancet published such a report that could become a political bombshell without providing all the information needed for proper assessment of the validity of the data. If this report was subjected to peer review, then I can only assume that The Lancet selected those reviewers with great care! “Three scientific teams are currently analysing body, shrine, and earth samples”1Froidevaux P Baechler S Bailat CJ et al.Improving forensic investigation for polonium poisoning.Lancet. 2013; 382: 1308Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (9) Google Scholar…Was The Lancet so fearful those analyses would not show polonium poisoning that it deemed appropriate to publish this report in advance? Interestingly, the 17-page Russian forensic report on Arafat's death states that the working hypothesis regarding the subject's death being caused by penetration of 210Po into his body was recognised as unsubstantiated.2Al Jazeera Investigative UnitRussian forensic report on Arafat's death.http://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/killing-arafat/russian-forensic-report-arafat-death-20131189959812216.htmlGoogle Scholar I declare that I have no conflicts of interest. Improving forensic investigation for polonium poisoningAt the time of publication, the remains of Yasser Arafat have been exhumed and are being investigated for cause of death as a result of the findings of the case reported here. Full-Text PDF Offline: Celebrating progress in Palestinian health researchFor several years, Derek Summerfield, a psychiatrist and expert in torture and war-related violence, encouraged us to write about the predicaments of the Palestinian people. We said no. The occupied Palestinian territory seemed too difficult a subject to cover from a position of complete ignorance. Derek proposed a meeting with the public health scientist, Rita Giacaman. I can't easily put into words the impact this meeting had on me. Rita, who cofounded the Institute of Community and Public Health at Birzeit University, introduced The Lancet to Palestinian health, culture, and history. Full-Text PDF
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