Death of Sir Richard Doll

Date: 25 July 2005

Sir Richard Doll – the first leading authority to find a proven link between lung cancer and cigarette smoking died yesterday, aged 92.

In 1950, Sir Richard Doll, working alongside Austin Bradford Hill, discovered that on average, smokers die ten years earlier than non-smokers, and that as many as two thirds of them are killed by their habit.

Whilst working with the Medical Research Council, he interviewed 649 lung cancer patients and found that only two of the patients were non-smokers. At the commencement of this study he was a smoker himself, but gave up half way through when he recognised the link between smoking and lung cancer.

Professor Luke Clancy, Chairman of ASH Ireland said to-day, "Richard Doll made a massive contribution to research on smoking and health. He was a courageous doctor and scientist - who essentially challenged the marketing ploy used by the tobacco industry, which presented smoking as 'harmless fun'. He began a movement, based on sound scientific principles, which has changed the attitude to smoking across the developed world"

He also conducted the renowned study of 40,000 British doctors, followed over 20 years. At the conclusion of this study, the then British Health Minister called a press conference to announce ‘it must be regarded as established that there is a relationship between smoking and cancer of the lung’ – at that time (1954) over 80% of British adults were smokers.

His work also contributed to many other key health studies, including the discovery that radiation is harmful and aspirin can protect against heart disease.