Letter to D E Lilienthal, Subject: Report of the Board of Review (Duplicate of Document Number 709602)

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Folder: Board of Review 1301 Cons ti tut ion Avenue Attached you vs ii l find the report prepared for the Atonic Energy FollmlrinE your presents ? ion of the problercs of policy concerning research in the fields of biological and medical science as they now confront the Cornnissior,, the Board cf Revleu: enbrrked =?on a series of cor s dt at ions. Durinz the course of three dcys, Jane 16thto19th, Cotmission as related to neciical, hczltIi-physics. - a:id research progrms States Public Ee al th Service. Furthermore, the Qoard had access io and utilized for its info mm tion 211 r e ? or tsp xt in ent to the problems xith which it had to deal. Robert 5. Stone, B, Friedel, I n adciition, cozferences were held vdth After the 3oard had acc painted itself 1;ri';h %e work of the past and the various proposals conceri7ing tile futa re 02 the program, it of its deliberations nay 9ro-Y.e 02 assist m ce to the Comxission i n est tib li shing csr tal nZ at br s of policgr. It isthe sinceye nyp of the Board o f iieview tl wt the results The 3oard is desirous of taking this o;>portu:iity t o e.qress its a7px cia tion to the Comnission for its whole-hcartcd cooperation i n for thir tireless and eTf:c%vz assistance in its work. The Board is also deeply indebted

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after an introductory discussion (Secticn 1) of the need for medical and bio logic kl research in the field of r sdio tion, as related to the policy of t5e 4,tomic Ewrgy Commission, ?Ais report will describe and Ctefine in Section 11 the prir;?nry areas of responsibility of t!ie Atomic Zncrgy Commission for tne maintennnce of neciical and biological res ecr ch.Section I11 wills ut line znd discuss Wh t my be called the tion or siiareu responsibilities with o51er brcnches of the Governm<nt cont&;lin spec if io rccommeudations of the Bo-rd of Iicview within or imma i at ely following the stc;te:iients of rel tite dc on a it ions or objectives. From this point the report proceeds to deal in Section IV with htndicnps tke litolxic Enc-rgy Conmission must surnnunt inful2ill ing to the recruitment and training of personncl, i s presented, with recommenaations, i n Saction B. Section VI i s devoted to an aspect of the Commission's work which contrasts sharp13 with the usual circumstances of scientific work narncly, its secret,restricted,or c lvs s if icd character, and sons o f the im2li cations there of.. Tht. report concludes with 2Section(VII) devoted to L brief stutement regarding an organization within the Atomic Energy Commissiori with responsibilities for main tsi ning satisfactory direction i4.d supp crt of ned ical md biological research inor rf:lated tothe Atoxic Zncrgy Cornmission. SECTIOE I- The Iieed for ;,edicai and 3i ol oy ical iiescarch and Traininn. Ijecause edvcncss i n medical znd biolo,riccl knowledge cre of vittli public edvantuge, because r:dio-Lctiv< meter icl s can be e f - fec t iv ely uscd. ic ob k icing such kno.jrlecl~e,and Secsuse ridw msdicnl end puLlic ha%lth problems ?:re as soci c ted with 31s develop ant of ztomic powcr for both industrial ard nil it cry purposes, me strongly recommend thot rosenrch and. training in all aspects 02 L\e zp pli cz tion of %tonic energy t o medical nrii bio io gica i problem be cmt in uea uni where profitable expanded. The extt.ntto xinich the k to sic Energy Commission skoulri conduct, fins nci ally sup20rt J or assist wit no utM nanci El support, The nesd for msdiczi mid biologics1research on thc various effects of radio-active substances end atomic fission is both urgent and extcnsivz. It is ur g cnt bec-,use of the ex tr - or c in cry danger of exposing living creatures tor sdio - activity. It i s urgsnt bacauss effective dcfcnsive mcasures (if i the military sense) against rz dian t energy are not yet known. r'rom now on we snall nine, tr cn sport, process and use radio - active substances tis so*a-ccs o f pvaer, tools ?or investigation of bio1ogicL.l processes, and for the tr oz tn ent of disease. There will therefore be incessant danger in handling such substances and using ' their radio - active properties. Tne n::ed for 1'ur.tht.r research is extensive :is well as urgent. hs an explorer allows for unforeseen h rd ships 2nd unpredictable events, ctn the in vc s tight or must plan far ex tens iv c ly urif'oresean eventual it i (2s. The - number of radio - active subst x ices is larg c ; :any nave nc3ver baen identified a as existing in nh tur i, 311ch substc,cces call for suspicious study. The ? acts 1eurnu.d and. the mastery ob t air x a iri the ? " st four years acquire most of their iminense significance not ncr c ly lrom tii eir present state of .di?veioFment but from what they will lead to. AS the solo possessor of' the ms tz ri ul s ana the ? roc css es involved, the Atomic Enzrgy Commission must continue and extend res ecr ch for ahi ch it hcs tine primary, and inthe U.S.A.

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the sole responsibility. based on medical ana bic logical scienc a. 12 terms of human life,this research must ary and Zxclusive E esp on sibi li tie q of the AtomicS ect ion TI The pritnary respoi;sibilLity 01' the Atomic Enera Comrxission for medical and biological research i.s in a Sense self-contained, direct ria te rials,the i=tomic Energ - Conrnission has heavy responsibilities to its employees and t o any otliers who could suffer fr on its negligence orits ignorance. With an absolute monopoly 01' new and powerful tools for research and important knowledge, the Atonic Energa Commission has ob liga - t ions to share it sac quis it i oils with the scientific world wherever security Eecause the Atomic Eherr~Crxmission i s charged by law with the exclusive control of materials, equipnent,processes and info nation which are unique, constantl2r dangerous and certainly not yet sufficiently understood, the Commission has every reason t o assune extensive responsibil i ties for further develol;merl+, and study of.the effects of products of atomic fission on human life. agenoy has the info m atl on,the "know-how, stances possessed by the Atonic Energy Comnission. For reasons of nat io rial safety, no other the equipment, orthe subTne possible hazards to the health of human beings, animals and plants,incident tore sen r ch, developuent and production 01' materials coricerned xi that onic power, cake knoxledge regarainf: tile nature of such hazards, their recogriition and their control a subject for vinic!i the tltonlc Energy Coiimission must assime & m ry responsibility at this tine. Such research is of the prograrmatic, apg lied type, related to the protection or treatment of persons possFbly ex2osed to or affected by radiation. It i s not directed to the f'urthe?arlce of knowleage regarding cellular physiology as such, YissionabLe nate rial is beir;g produced. This will continue, and inail yrobabilit2- tile discovery oi new substances and new production methods vi11 raise neii resezrcii problem,the solutions of vrhich are the responsibilities of the Atomic Energy Comissiori for the protection of their workers in the factories and the public in their environs. Such research belongs in the regio rial laboratories because of security and availability of special facilities. It must be classified and it will usually be prog rann a tic and applied to specific pro ble as or difficulties, It calls for arid has greatl2- be nei it edf roti tile services of health - physicists,doctors 0' medicine and considerable numbers of dcpendbble personnel less extensive l ? trained. here its profound admiratior, for the work accoinpli.shed during the past four years in protection of the facto q - and laboratory personnel. The Yoard of 3eview wishes to record We recomriend that for the further study or' the biological effects of radi at i ori and all forns or' detection,protection and treatmiit, arid for the pm tec tion oi employees, the public if exposed, and the civilian population in case of rar,research involving classified materi also r operations be liber c illy provided forin Atomic hhergy Commission installations. Where res es r ch bearing on the detection,prevention,or treatment of radi at i or,effects can be carried on properly outside Atonic

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Eiiergy Commission installations,tl Aere should be no obstacle to pnr%fal o r complete Atomic Znerg;- Comzission support for such research. of radiation (Vdtli part icu iar atte:;tio:i t o :EL: radioactive materials), (b)the training oi prs on rie i in tlie recognition and con to l of radiation &mounts of radiation be made primary activities of the Atonic Energy Those activities involving classified materials or operations must bo sGpportec b) and carried out within Atomic Energy Cormission i n - stall at ions. sugport with funds correlative studies at universiti os,contributing to knowledge, on +die biological and medical effects of radiation but not in - volving the cse of cl sssi fie d materials o r iriformation. It will also be desi rab lo to encourage and, where riecessar:;, We recommend that the nto:iic Energy Conmission continue t o provi de isotopes Xor s;le a t nominal prices tc: scientists qualified to work with SUCL materials. Iso to pc Erarich for the purpose of protecting those en6;aged intho use of radioactive is c to pes derived fr on ~ktosilc Ekergy Commission sources. H consulting siarvice shouia be provided through the The time i s approachini; when the supply of isotopes for the, study of fund mental bio log xal axid ned ical problem will mort? than meet the needs 01' American investigators. progress in medicine and biology that qualified ii l vest i gators in other countries have such isotopes for their stud ics. It woulu tc iri the interest of We suF;gest that steps be taken to make isotopes available to Sorcign invest i gL tors. It might be noted tk at the pi ib ll cation of the monthly sales record OP isotopes in Sciexcc would zidin sli0T;iiig tie scientific world that the Atoxic Energy Comnission is e if ect iv cl2 - contributing to the advancement of knowlcage dcspi-ce the impressions often left by security reg dat ions. Corliparable to the distribution of iso to pos,the dissemination or' scientific information by the Atoidc hqyi Commission calls for favorable., though cailtioiis, attention. ?roi,ipt clearance or' papers submitted by Termer staff Inenbcrs anti the publication of accumiilated ir formation in the present possession of tide Atomic bhcr&y Ca xi is sion, uihen cleared for security, would similarly enhance the scientific status of the Commission, the morale of its staff, and further accelerate biological and medical research. Probably mucii of the ini'on,iation qot yet publisk,ec? will prove t o be tenta - tive ana incomplete. Zowcvsr, recognition should be given, tdierever security consider at i ops will now perxit publication,to vrorkzrs whose pat rio - tism often persuaded the xt of cr ego the crs d it of hsving done valuable We reconmend. active encourngcment of publication of accumulate d scientific papers after de cia ssl fi cation.,e it ii er as records of the Atomic Bier0 Conmission o r througi. subsidies to professional Journals, as may be proposed by the MedicLl ihr eck or and approved by the Ded ical

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Section 113:. Snared 3iesnonsiSi li ties of the Atomic Energy Co mission I n conbras+, totho p-imary res pons iS ili ties of the Atomic Enercy Com.isrion for -zork described in Section 11, there is a second type of research n'nic'r, the Co mls sic n should share rrith other orTanizations. Here the Goniission should collabora:e, offer lng the use of its equipment, staff experience, naterials such LS isotopes, and the services of Its staff as teachers,lecturers or consultants. Perhaps the simplest vzy to present this field of xor k is to naxe the a zen cie s with 7:lhich the Atomic Energy Commission should be prepared 50 collaborate in the study of ned i cine and biology. (a) The U. S. Public Health Service has experience and authority as a guardian of the public health in peacetime and of civilian pop ul at i cns in vartime . Its staff en joys continuity and e i ' fec ti ve promo1;Aic'n compare favorably with those at universities. li shed administrative structure to deal with industrial hazards. wuld have a logical interest in the industrial developments of atomic fission. It has had for 25 years an increasing measure of public confide n ce and Congressional support.In its National Institute of Health, it possesses laboratories and a groxin: staff of medical and biological scientists.In the interest of protect in s the public, the Atomic Energy commission night look forvrard t o the establishment, i n conjunction with the u. 3. Public Heal-tb Service, the 'Dureau of Standards, the Department of Agriculture, and other pertinent Governmental azencies, a center for researcli and for trainin:: t o provide an extensive reservoir of personnel i n and out of Governmental services, eqGipped. fors ? ecial needs of tk It can offer careers in medical and biological research It has an es tabde recommend that in vie:v of these considerations the Atomic-1 ing the U. s. Public Yealth Service personnel o2y ort unities in the Atomic Znergy ComdssS on regional laboratories to learn and further investigate methods of protecting indus trial em2lo;recs and civilian2op ll at ions a + ns th zard s 03 gases, dust, conkact, eff l vents, and other form of exposure to radi atl on possibly affecting industrial workers and (b) The Armed Forces have grave responsibilities fdr defense a2ainst atomic born%. Accordingly, it is imperative for the Atomic hergy Commission to offer instruction and experience t o bmy and liavy medical and ancillary personnel i n the protection of troops and s fips from the effects of atomic weapons, ths accumulation of a backlog of trained personnzl within and outside the Armed Forces can n o t be over-em?hasized, The urgent need for .ye re com c nd that offers be prom?tly made for the training and inst,ruction of r spc sent at iv ks of thc medical personnel of the Armed Forces in the installations of ne Atomic Encrgy Cozmission and such further collaboration in che stvdg of proSlms already common to both orz a niza ti ons as may be noss i hle .f o r >he q eel aliz ed train in ; ?-Ed indoc5ririatlcin o f personnel at var ioc s levels. fhcse Sho;lld in cl x de the doctoral,technical, and ay prentice ca x zori es.

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(c) The relations <,ff ede rally spoilsoredP ra search and The knovrlsdge that made research orga?Fzatio:ls to educational and scholarly ,orces and m sources of this country raqulre nore ti= for reflection and more extensive disczlsLcion +Amwe car, Givs in this ra …