Reay and Hope versus British Nuclear Fuels plc: Issues Faced when A Research Project Formed the Basis of Litigation

SUMMARY A case-control study that found an association between leukaemia and lymphoma in young people and their fathers' occupational radiation exposure before conception provided the main evidence in a legal claim against British Nuclear Fuels plc. During the course of the litigation, in which all aspects of the study were scrutinized in detail, various issues confronted those involved in conducting or extending the original study. Of particular concern were the scientific independence of the investigators, the promises made to providers of the data regarding confidentiality and the researchers' perception of the scientific validity of the requests from the court.