Counterview Desk
In a letter to the Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, Dr Jagdish Parikh, trustee, health rights NGO People’s Training and Research Centre (PTRC), Vadodara, and Jagdish Patel, director, PTRC, have said that the claim being made for the use of biomarker for detection of silicosis raises concern about scientific tenacity of the diagnosis of the deadly occupational disease.
The letter also objects to the reported claim by a top health official that it is possible to detect silicosis at the sub-radiological stage. It asks, “What is this subradiological stage of silicosis? We have not heard any such scientific term being used. Again, the report is using a term which is not found in any scientific literature so far. Is this term acceptable by ICMR? Is ICMR thinking of any explanation?”
This is with reference to our letter dated November 28, 2021. In our communication we had raised our concern about the scientific tenacity of the biomarker for early detection of silicosis. We had questioned sensitivity and specificity of this test. We reiterated that CC66 protein decreases in many lung diseases.
Therefore positive screening test can be due to other lung disease. The screening test is not diagnostic. It suggests high probability. Therefore, X-ray is required for confirmation. It may happen that the screening test is positive but X-ray is negative. The authors have not given data for this possibility. We have not heard...
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