Press Conference

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inst polio in this coming season. The pressure was that 1117
we have on top of us the season of polio vwth thousands of -
cases to be prevented if this stuff works. And my feeling is
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that our obligation was to go ahead, unless somebody showed I
evidence we should not go ahead. You can have doubters -- "
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well, maybe this is wise and maybe it isn't. But when the
evidence is the kind that was produced there, unless somebody co
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produces some solid evidence that you shouldn't go ahead, you go. i =
DR. SCHEELE: I want to make one other point, because I
think an awful lot of things that we do are based on this.
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We may make wrong judgments sometimes for doing this, but
still it is the way we have to live. It is the veracity, the.C
reputation, the standing of individuals who make reports that )
leads us to go ahead and use something. If the man has
standing, if he is a man of roputation and integrity ---
Dr. Francis is. Everyone knew Dr. Francis as a person who
could not be influenced by anyone. We know him awfully well.
We have worked with Dr. Francis intimately for many, many,
many years. But he would not be influenced by anyone to
turn out an affirmative report just because he was turning out
a report and somebody wanted it.
And all the way along in this process, we made decisions
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based on scientific judgment of good scientists, men of
integrity. There has been some difference of opinion. Sometimes you have to make a yes-or-no decision, weighing all f
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