Minutes of the Advisory Committee on Radiation Tolerance of Military Personnel Held on 3 April 1949

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Minutes of t h e Advisory Committee on Radiation Tolerance The second meeting of t h e NETA Advisory Committee on Radiation Tolerance of Military Personnel was held atthe Carlton Hotel, t h e following present: Regular members - Anderson, Donaldson, Robley Lvans, Titus Evans, Friedel l, Hollaender, Newell, Nhs, Selle, Stone, Kalitinsky, Miller, Simmons, Sims and hard; Special guests - El linger, Harbison, Stoeckle, Stratton and PFniting. I&. Uard introduced Mr. Harbison ofthe Travelers Insurance Company, who in turn presented his associates &. Stratton and Dr. \ a hit ing, The chair also introduced Dr.El linger, of the Naval Besearch Institute, Bethesda, and Dr. Atoeckle of the Oak Ridge Office of Directed Operations. The U’inutes of the previous meeting of the Advisory Committee, held in Chicago, June 23rd, 1949, were read and approved. Chairman Dowdy briefed the Committee on the activities of the various committees charged with the collation of data pertinent to the NEPA Project. a ail able Data iielative t o Iiadiation Bio loa, copies of which had been circulated to members of the Committee on liiarch 15th. discussion on the data ensued. Gr. Hollaender offered a prepared statement of the minor corrections relating to data he previously He discussed the preparation of the Tabulation of

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Dr.Fail la ' s motion " that the available data be accepted, with the addition of a note that the dosage of the Los Alamos cases is subject to revision", was seconded by Gr. Robley Eh~ansand approved on vote of t h e Committee. The chairman brought up for consideration the adoption of Article UT, p. 34, on "Acute Exposure - Estimated Results t o Inthe long discussion which follovied, several corrections and additions were recommended. During consideration of the expression "delayed effects tt,the Committee approved a motion by D r . Robley Evans and seconded by Dr. Hollaender " that the words I to the recipient ! be inserted after the word ' effects ' appearing atthe bottom of page 35,3lines from the bottom of the page." The Committee approved by vote a motion by Dr.Fail la and seconded by Dr. Robley Evans referring to qualifying statements under Article M, Acute Exposure and reading: below apply tothe average normal individual. It should be borne in mind that there is considerable variation in individuals ' susceptibil it y to radiation." . sentence under E. reading "Some deaths would occur in 3 t o 6 weeks" be changed t o 'two'." The motion, seconded by Dr.Titus hans, was Upon a motion by Dr. Robley Evans seconded by Dr. &one, the Cod tte e recommended that the word "mightt1 inthe second line under

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D, page 35, and the word %voUldl' in the last line under E, page 35, During a discussion concerning $he meaning of t h e word flacute", Dr.Fail la made a motion, seconded by Er. Kobley Evans, %hat after the word 'Acute', appearing i n the first line of page 34, an asterisk be placed for a footnote reading: 'Received within twenty-four hours'." seconded by D r . Robley Evans and approved on vote of t h e Committee. The chair requested Dr. Stone t o read the report of the Committe e on Human Radiation Tolerance. cussion which lasted until the noon recess. On reconvening a t 1:30, Dr. Stone read a revised version of a report which had been dittoed during the recess and later distributed among the members. "he final form read as follows: Report of the Committee on Human Experimentation 71The use of human beings a s experimental subjects has been counten- 1 anced in the past when information was needed that could not be obtai ned in any other way. l1The NEPA Xedical Advisory Committee on the a adi ation Tolerance of Military Personnel i s attempting to establish what will ' happen ' t o humans when necessarily exposed a t infrequent times t o amounts of radiation that are high relative to the dose set up as the maximum permissible daily (or weekly) dose for workers radiation exposure i s possible. SA review of animal experiments has shnnn of various species differ in their response t o constantly working where that not only

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radiation, but also that animals of different strains within a given "It is therefore impossible to predict with sufficient accuracy what v:iU happen t o humans. "The exposure of some sick humans to radiation to the total body with therapy as the objective has provided some indication of how sick people respond; but such therapeutic trials have shown also that the response varies greatly with the clinical condition of the patient. "A few accidental exposures, and the mass exposures a t Hiroshima and Nagasaki, have provided some information asto how relatively 1:. --% _ _h e al thy people respond; but the conditions of those exposures are not sufficiently well known. "The information desired is sufficiently important that we believe the usk, of humans is justified. $'Iti s essential that any such experimentation be carried on i n accordance with the principles laid down by the Judicial Council of 1. The voluntary consent of the person on whoi-, t h e experiment isto be performed must be obtzined. The danger of each experiment must have been previously investigated by animal experiment st'ion. The experiment must be performed under proper medical protection and management. "In view of the above we, the members of NEPA Medical Advisory Committee on the Iiadiation Tolerance of Military Personnel, hereby recommend that human experimentation be carried out, and advise NEPA

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S' /t o request the Amed &,ices t o arrange for it; and further recommend _it hat the experiments be unclassified. " 1. Supplemental Eieport of the Judicial Council of the American Ethics Governing the Services of Prisoners as Subjects i n The History and Ethics of the Use of Human Subjects i n Kedical Following the reading, the Committee approved a motion by Drs. Stone and Robleg Evans that the report on Human Experimentation be accepted as the report and opinion of the entire Advisory Committee. The Committee then gave detailed consideration t o pronosed recornmendations for research required to refine the values given in the Report on Available Data which had been recommended t o NEPA i n the morning buted mimeographed sheets suggesting research problems submitted by members of t h e Executive Committee. 'IZlese suggestions included: I. Methods for Detecting the Degree of Sensitivity of Individuals to Radiation Exposures; 11. Pharmacological Studies of Radiation Reactions; 111. Evaluation of Physical Fitness Following Total Body Irradiation ; IV. Conversion Factors - Ntor lPatio and Additivity; V. hkaluation of Long-Term Effects ; VI. Compilation of Available Data as Initiated Asa guide to these deliberations the chair earlier had d is tri -

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(.by NEPA Advisory Committee on Radiation Tolerance of Military Personnel. Mr. Simnons reported at some length on the value of the technic i n the study of neutron distribution in biological material. Following additional general discussion, the Committee approved by votea motion by Drs. %,one and Fail la " that the application of the Monte Carlo technic of analysis of neutrons in biological media be recommended for study." Dr. Dowdy brought up for further consideration the assignment of priority of suggested research problems. It was generally conceded that the Monte Carlo calculation be assigned category VI1 and that it have first priority. priority and Dr.Titus Evans suggested that VI be given third priority, Final action, however, was not taken on the assignment of priority. Dr.Nims recommended that 111 be given second After further discussion the Committee approved a motion by Drs. Friedel l and Stafford tiarren thata subcommittee be appointed t o study, i n conjunction with NEPA representatives,the character and priority of specific biological problems. The Committee then gave additional, extensive consideration tothe matter of rtoN ratio. Following paralleling suggestions by Drs. Friedel l,Stafford and Titus Evans, it was agreed thata subcommittee be empowered t o consider research proposals and that this subcommittee report back t o t h e Advisory Committee as soon as possible. Thereupon, Chairman Dowdy added the names of Drs. Fail la and Titus Evans tothe Ekecutive Committee and requested that this group be the subcommittee t o consider research, and, further,that Drs. Fail la, Robley Evans and Titus Evans

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hold a conference with NEF'A representatives on the rtoN ratio and other physical problems confronting NEPh. There being no further items of business, the chair called upon A motion for adjournmentMr. Viard and hfr. Sims for closing remarks, N P A Medical Advisory Committee on Radiation Tolerance of