Thanks for the outstanding summaries of recent concerns, and especially the detailed article by Tolchinsky et al response to Lancet misleading article. It was a common practice some years ago for the UN to list data reported by many countries, including those in the Middle East and Soviet Union with data on such things as infant mortality, life expectancy, varieties of health issues, etc., with two columns. One column listed the date as misleadingly reported by totalitarian countries in those regions and a second was listed as I. E (for Informed Estimate), which listed the best estimated correct data, which often was considerably more negative and serious indication of health care, IMF and other reported data.

If you need a specific reference (one of mine was taken from an issue of Jerusalem Post, probably circa l978), I’ll try to find it and forward it.

With best regards for the fine work you are doing….I am in touch frequently with colleague, long-time friend, my former Professor (from undergraduate years) Professor Emeritus, Bert Raven on these issues.

Allan M. Levine, Ph. D.