since for forty years every study of lead's effects had been funded exclusively by manufacturers of lead additives. In one such study, a doctor who had no specialized training in chemical pathology17 undertook a five-year programme in which volunteers were asked to breathe in or swallow lead in elevated quantities. Then their urine and faeces were tested. Unfortunately, as the doctor appears not to have known, lead is not excreted as a waste product. Rather, it accumulates in the bones and blood – that's what makes it so dangerous – and neither bone nor blood was tested. In consequence, lead was given a clean bill of health.
For four decades, research on lead's effects was predominantly sponsored by lead additive manufacturers, raising serious concerns about the integrity of these studies. One notable study, led by a doctor lacking expertise in chemical pathology, involved subjects consuming or inhaling significant amounts of lead over five years. However, the study's design omitted crucial tests of lead accumulation in bones and blood, focusing instead only on excreted waste, which misrepresented the actual danger of lead exposure.
This oversight led to misleading conclusions that downplayed lead's toxic effects. Since lead accumulates in the body rather than being eliminated, the study failed to provide an accurate assessment of its health risks. Such discrepancies highlight the importance of objective research and the need for rigorous scientific standards to ensure the safety of substances that can be harmful to human health.
