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CAPT Jim Bryant STATUS OF NAVY HUMAh- WLDIATION RESEARCH REVIEW FOR 24 JANUARY MEETING WITH DR. DEL'TCH * Provide sraius of Navy efforts in human radiation research review IO brief Dr Deutch at 1300 24 January 1994~ On 3 JAN 94. Xavy initiated efforts to determine any past involvement in human Over 30 Ka\y organizations were contacted with informal guidance to identifq and repon an:, past involvement in human radiation testing. N ' a 9 Surgeon General and Chief of Yavsl Research have identified cases where radiation was involved in experiments n i t h people and esrablished rdsk forces to conduct an extensive investigation. ONR has reviewed over 4,000 contract records and found 15 contracts wirh universities that need to be reviewed because the); may contain inforniation on human No Kavy involvement with Dr. Saenger's full body radiation experiments at University of Cincinnati. even though Yavy was implicated by the media. ONR did co-sponsor radioisotope research at MIT with the AEC brnveen 1947 and 1955. Three papers, which were published on this research, have been located and two have been obtained for detailed study. The issue of informed consent still under e Since the mid-1940's. the Bureau of Medicine and Surgep has had an ongoing research program using radioisotopes to improve diagnosis and rreamenr. This research used volunteer subjects and the results were published in medical literature.
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e A rexriew of about 3.000 titles from the Defense Technical Information Center identified 514 which may contain information on human radiation testing. h abstract review is in progress. Other services will be informcd 3s appropnate~ 13 JAN 94 Associated Press report is correct that Nary used radioactive isotopes to evaluate the treatment of parasitic diseases. The final research report. which was publicly available in 1946, has been provided to Dr. Soper, Principal Deputy tD Dr. Smith. All subjects were volunteers, but we me unabIe to identifi the people 1991 Bureau o f Medicine and Sugcry conducted a review of radiation use in treating middle ear problems which revealed 732 submariners were involved in a study to detemiine if this procedure would hclp people pass submarine escape training. This study found rhe procedure effective and was used at the Kavy Submarine School until the early 1950s. The Bureau of .Medicine and Surge? review did not estimate the number of personnel treated. Other sources have suggested that as many a5 5.000 submariners may have been treated. This procedure was extensively used from the 1920's into the 1960s in the civilian community to treat ear infections and deafness. Follow-up sxdies on civilian use indicated no short or long-term effects. 0 Volunteers were obtained from the staffs of hospitals and research units to undergo a nuclear medicine study. e.&..thyroid uptakc, to determine the set of "normals" with which to compare patient results. Volunteers included students. staff and in some cases foreign nationals. Kecords of who voluntecred probably do not exist. Students (physicians and technicians) performed diagnostic x-ray and nuclear medicine exams on each other as part of their training. Wlile student rosters may be available. records of exams performed probably do not exist^
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On 31 DEC 93,reported Office of Na-la1 Research funds were used in radioisotope experiments at MIT between 1947 and 1955. Three papers have been located, having been published in open scientific literature, and did address clinical investigations using radioisotopes. Two of these papers have been obcained for detailed study an6 they are trying to get the third. This research was co-sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and the Atomic Energy commission. NOTE: OFFICE OF NAVAL-RESEARCR a s DETERMINED THAT THE RESEARCH PAPERS INDICATE THE AMOUNTS OF RADIOISOTOPES USED DID MEET ACCEPTED STANDARDS THEN AND "HOSE OF TODAY.,,ISSUE OF INFORMED CONSENT IS STILL BEING The Office of Naval Research has found D.G rec3rds cf Navy involvement with Dr. Eugene Saexger's work invclving full body rariiatior. experiments at the UniversiEy of Cincinnati. D r . Saenger confirmed this by telephnze. NOTE: MEDIA XAS IMPLICATED THE NAVY WITH THIS STUDY, BUT DEFENSE TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTER FILES INDICATE ONLY DEFENSE hQCLEILR AGENCY AND ARMY SPONSORSBIP. Office of Naval Research has revlewed over 4 , g O O con:rzct records. The search indicates abo;lt 1 5 possible have Ifivolved radiation. NOTE: RESULTS BASED ON THE WORD "RADIATION" APPEARING IN THE TITLE OF CONTRACTS.
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On 13 JAN 9 4 Associated PrP-8 ran a story on a Naval Medical Research Institute Laboratcry Report regarding the evaluation of using radioactive isotopes as a treatment for parasitic diseases. This enabled researchers to determine t h e distribution and retention of the drug (antimony),which was used t~ treat parasitic diseases, without having to do a biopsy of the person’s organs. The final research report, which is obtainable and was publicly available in April 1 9 4 6 , indicates the subjects of the tests were volunteers, but does n o t give their names or other supporting receiving radiation treatment f o r r,iddle ear problems that interfered with pressure equalizatior. (metal capsule containing radium inserted through. the ngse and held for several ninutes). The Navy Bureai: of Medicine and Surgery coEducted a review of this treatment on submariners in 1991 based upon the available literature. This review indicates radiation treatment was given to 7 3 2 submariners involved in a study to determine the effectiveness of this established medical procedure to improve ear eqalization c o allow personnel with ear problems to complete s’Lbmarine escape training. This review also found tkat the treatment of 5 0 naval avlatcrs was documented in a 1946 USN medical The B-mED review naS no estimate of how many personnel were treated after the study showed :he treatment to be effective. It is known this treatment was used by che Navy‘s Submarine school at Groton, CT until the early 1 9 5 0 ’ s . NOTE: THE PROCEDURE USED WAS DEVELOPED I N THE 1320’s AND EXTENSIVELY USED BY THE CIVILIAN CObQ4UNITY WELL INTO THE 1960’5 TO PREVENT EAR INFECTIONS DUE TO POOR DRAINAGE AND TO TREAT DEAFNESS. SEVERAL FOLLOW-UP STUDIES ON CIVILIAN USE HAVE BEEN PUB LIS mD, NONE OF W‘HICH INDICATES SHORT OR LONG TERM ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM THE TYPE OF
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DOE LETTER TO THOSE WHO CONTACTED THEM FROM: DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, WASHINGTON, DC 20585 THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER DETAILING YOUR CONCERNS REGARDING GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED HUMAN RADIATION EXPERIMENTS. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND SECRETARY HAZEL O'LEARY BELIEVE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE INFORMATION ON THESE EXPERIMENTS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WHILE PROTECTING CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE INITIATIVE IS VOLUNTARY, BUT WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REFER YOUR MATERIAL TO THE APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATION FOR A THAT ANY PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION WHICH YOU MAY PROVIDE WILL BE COLLECTED AND HANDLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974. SUBJECT'S AND THEIR FAMILIES. ANY INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE FOR THIS FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION. IN THIS CONNECTION, YOU MAY BE ASSURED ON JANUARY 18, 1994, PRESIDENT CLINTON ISSUED THE (ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RADIATION EXPOSURES) EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT ESTABLISHES CRITERIA BY WHICH THE HUMAN RADIATION EXPERIMENTS WILL THE MATERIAL YOU SUBMITTED, CITING YOUR PERSONAL EXPOSURES INVOLVING POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO RADIATION, HAS BEEN EVALUATED AND NOT FOUND TO FALL UNDER THE RESPONSIBILITY OR JURISDICTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. HOWEVER, IT DOES APPEAR TO FALL UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. THEREFORE, THE MATERIAL YOU SUBMITTED HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO THE NUCLEAR TEST PERSONNEL REVIEW PROGRAM. WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE PERTAINING TO YOUR FILE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THAT PROGRAM VIA THE HOT LINE, CONTACT NUMBER FOR FILE IS 1-800-462-3683. THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY VALUES YOUR INFORMATION AND OPINIONS ON THESE VERY SENSITIVE ISSUES. PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND HEALTH * INFORMATION REGARDING GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED HUMAN RADIATION IS BEING COLLECTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE ATOMIC ENERGY ACT OF 1954, AS AMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ORGANIZATION ACT, AND BY EXECUTIVE ORDERS 10865, 10450, AND 12358.