Minutes of the Seventy-Fourth Meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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The 74th meeting of t h e Advisory Committee o r Biology and Medicine, U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, was held on Apai I 26 and 27, 1959, a t AEC, Director, Division of Biology and Medicine, and for part of the sessions by Mr. John A. McCone, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Gen. Alvin R. Luedecke, General Manager, and &lr.A. Tammaro, Assistant General Manager for Research and Industrial Development. The meeting was also attended by The Minutes of t h e 73rd meeting of t h e ACBM were approved. The next meeting i s scheduled for June 12 and 13, a t AEC HQ and llH1l St. Bldgs, _- It is planned t o devote most of the meeting to the Executive Session of the Committee so that it can discuss certain matters of basic policy relating t o the organization of DBM and the objectives of the national AEC laboraThe present meeting was occupied entirely by an Executive Session that dealt with, first, the policy of the AEC with respect to its functions in the field of biology, medicine and radiation protection now under review atthe request of the President and, secondly, certain parts of the presentation prepared by DBM for the forthcoming hearings on fallout of the Congrepsional Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. I n opening the discussion,Mr. McCone placed special emphasis on the following: It is the intention of the Commission that the public be given full information regarding fallout,including the quantities of material still suspended above the earth and the distribution of the material that has already entered the biosphere. estimates of the hazards for man and the biological world in general, both as these ' exist today and as they may be in the future.In appearing before the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, it is especially desirable that a what fal is in the category of differences in opinion. Also t o be included, of course ; - are clear distinction be made concerning what is knowrn,what isnot known, and J Unwarranted fears may arise through ignorance o r through the feeling that important facts of an unfavorable nature are being withheld. the desire of the Commission to allay or ' prevent such fears by presenting full information (consistent with National defense) i n such a way that it will reach the public quickly and effectively. OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY yielding results of immediate public interest must be released to the public as quickly as is feasible in the form of documents of an official nature that are readily available to the press and other agencies of news distribution, and to interested citizens. With respect to AEC activities in the fields of biology and medicine, including public health, Mr. McCone stated that the Commission wishes ACBM t o review its program objectively. Any activities that can be carried out more appropriately or more efficiently by other agencies, public or private, should be recommended for transfer. question underlying the present review i,s t o what extent an agency that contributes to a national (and also international)health hazard should be charged with monitoring and interpreting that hazard. Perhaps the single most important Mr. McCone stated that whatever ' the final Executive decision may be with respect to responsibility for monitoring and regulation, it will be o f the greatest importance to recognize the continuing responsibility of the AEC for the health and welfare ofthe 110,000 people now engaged inits activities and for the safeguarding of its plant, now valued at $ 7billion. 2. AEC Functions i n Biology, Medicine, and Public Health The current review of AEC radiological health responsibilities is part of a study of all such activities of the Government now being made by the Bureau of the Budget at the President ' s request, copies of the memorandum t o BOB, prepared under the direction of Mr. H. A . Stanwood, i n which all DBM-supported projects are listed by category and - title,together with annual costs and scientific(professional) manpower. ACBM was supplied with ACBM urges that any changes in the scientific,technical,or regulatory functions of the AEC in the fields of biology, medicine and public health should be based on the following considerations and recommendations: (a) The interest of the AEC in the peaceful and military development of atomiq energy i s so vast and s o fundamental that it must continii-e t o do research in the relevant ' fields within biology and medicine in order to discharge its statutory responsibilities. (b) The research programs of DBM fall into several categories. While some of these may be promoted efficiently by other agencies,it is difficult tosee how, at present or in the near future, any other organization could assemble the scientific manpower and facilities necessary to carry the full relating to the measurement of fallout in the atmosphere and to the highly involved protection problems associated with certain types of reactors and weapons. It is generally true for safeguarding radiological health in the This is particularly true of certain extremely complex questions OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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plants and laboratories of the prime contractors. (c) On the other hand, the AEC should not be given sole responsibility Eor regulation,surveillance,control, and research in the field of radiation health, and particularly as these concern public health. (d) The AEC has always looked tothe NCRP (National Committee on Radiation Protection and Measurements) for standards of permissible exposure, and it should continue to do so. (e) Within the facilities of its prime contractors and as a major These activities could involve the activity in its research and development program, the AEC must continue its program of surveillance and control. collaboration of other agencies -- in fact, they already do. Outside of the AEC's own facilities and responsibilities surveillance and control should eventually be assumed by another agency. radioactive isotopes in industry, medicine and research all fallin this category; also the db qr i but ion of fallout in the United States, and the radioactivity of f&d; water and air. Such - .responsibilities might well be assumed by the Public Health Service and the Food and Drug Administration. The latter organization already has some statutory responsibility in this (f) The suggestion has been made by the National Advisory Committee on Radiation tothe Surgeon General (PHS) that the PHS be given full control over -a l l sources of radiation. statutory co niro l already vested in the AEC and the Food and Drug Administ ration. The Committee considers that the report to the Surgeon General by the National Advisory Committee on Radiation requires a separate commentary report.Its conclusions and the importance given t o them by some persons outside the AEC are such that the ACBM wishes to place on record its views on the matter. This will be done by a draft report prepared for the next ACBM feels that this recommendation overlooks the ACBM meeting by Drs. Bugher, Loeb, and Cant ril. -. -_ ._ ..(g) No one organization should pre-empt a broad field of research for itself. Research in all aspects of radiation biology, medicine, and public health should be open toall who are interested and qualified. duplication of effort, some sort of inter agency planning will be necessary. The AEC should not merely continue its program in the biological sciences, especially as this relates to the acute,chronic, and genetic injuries of ionizing radiations,but should endeavor t o expand it in order to provide answers tothe many questions now in the public mind. (h) Although many within the Government and the scientific community recognize that the program in biology and medicine has been a reasonably good one, large segments of the public seem t o be completely unaware of the efforts OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY of DBM in these areas and the sincere concern of the Commission for public health and welfare. It is evident.that the methods for communicating with the public have been inadequate. deficiencies within the AEC. The coq uni cation of scientific data to the publicise it rem ely difficult to do effectively. that any effort be made to ascertain what the people wish t o know and what organization that is financially independent of the AEC. suggested that the University of Mich-igan Institute of Public Opinion might undertake such a survey for the AEC. In part,this has been due to certain It i s recommended therefore . methods might serve this function best. The study should be made by an 3. Joint Committee Hearings Public Hearings on Fallout fro a Nuclear Weapons Teats are scheduled by.the Special Subcommittee on Radiation,Joint Committee on Atomic Energy General Luedecke reported that CIA, DOD, and AEC were jointly preparing a document on fallout for public distribution prior to the hearings. intended t o estimate the total amount of r.a dio activity that has been released inthe atmosphere from all shots and all nations. Dr. Dunham presented ACBM with a draft of the statement he will make a t the opening session of the hearings, which was a general review of developments since the 1957 hearings.This opening statement, together with its was .discussed, with Dr. Dunham in detail. ACBM was also provided with material destined for the Joint Committee covering various other phases of DBM ' s program which had been prepared by The burden of work placed on the entire DBM staff in preparing for ,Themembers of ACBM wish to record their appreciation of the exceptional the Joint Committee hearings and the review by BOB has been a difficult one. effort that has been made. 4 . Recommendation by ACBM on Future Weapons Testing The Committee decided t o recommend tothe Chairman, through letter, that In the event of future above-ground weapons testing by the U.S.A. that each test operation be reviewed by an ad hoc advisory council representing DOD, AEC, and DHEW. Such a council might operate through the Killian committee as advisory to the Executive. Likewise before any above-ground OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY weapons testing i s resumed at the Nevada Test Site, a similar advisory council should be appointed t o evaluate the relative merits of the Nevada and Pacific test sites for each operation proposed. OFFICIAL USE ONLY