Dr. G.K. Chambers (Epidemiologist)...

...is scheduled to testify at the Braidwood Inquiry tomorrow (12 May 2009).


Epidemiology [WIKI]


As I had mentioned in a previous post [LINK], the data probably already exists (but is not being made public) that would be sufficient to prove or disprove a few theories about the safety of tasers.

For example:

• Taser-associated death rate vs. taser darts-on-chest or not.
  
• Taser-associated death rate per actual full deployment vs. type of taser (M26 compared to X26).

For the first, if the actual real-world death rate is significantly higher in those cases where the taser dart(s) just happen to land on the victim's chest, then that would be a 3-pointer against Taser International's world-views.

For the second, if the X26 happens to be the Grim Reaper's tool of choice, even during periods when the M26 taser was actually being used at a higher rate, then that is the end of the line for Taser International's assurances.

Now I'm not an expert, but I really do suspect that both of these little pet theories of mine will eventually be proven to be completely true. I'm getting whiffs of a pattern in the limited data available.

And I more-or-less suspect that the reason that the required data isn't being collated and publish for all to review, is that the people holding this data are frightened by what it already shows.

It's time to demand the data. And let an expert such as Dr. Chambers have a good look at it.