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OFFICIAL USE ONLY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE New York Operations Office Health & Safety Laboratory U.S. Atomic Energy Commission New York City, N e w York OFFICIAL USE ONLY
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OFFICIAL USE ONLY The 97th meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine, tory, New York Operations Office, New York City, on March 8 and 9 , 1963. ACBM members i n attendance were D r s . H. Bentley Glass, Chairman, Fred J. Dunham, Director, AEC Division of Biology and Medicine, and various members of his staff were also present. Mr. R. E. Allen reibresented the Division of Operational Safety. of the Health and Safety Laboratory on March 8, and 2) reports of DBM developments followed ;by an Executive Session on March 9. The program o f the 97th meeting consisted of 1) review of activities Activities of Health & Safety Laboratory, NYOO The activities of the Laboratory (HASL) are largely research - oriented ; however, it also has considerable administrative responsibility to the NYOO in operational matters of licensing,industrial health and safety. The principal objective of the research program is the evaluation of the quality and quantity of environmental contaminants resulting mainly from weapons debris,but also from atomic energy operations generally. This involves the development of suitable modalities for such measurements (filters, samplers and recording devices) and their testing and application in field studies. HASL staff.In general, ACBM was impressed by the scope and sophistication of the over - all effort. The tri - city study (New York, Chicago and San Francisco) of RA226 i n human diet and bone is particularly noteworthy. The excellent correlation of bone to dietary Ra226 levels in the three cities, while not unexpected on theoretical grounds, is a reflection of the precision of the measurements. Various aspects of the program were presented by the I n regard t o the administrative responsibilities of HASL, imposed upon the Lab to assist the Manager of NYOO t o meet his obligations, Dr. Harley stated that this may involve nearly 20% of his scientific staff. ACBM recognizes the advantageous relationship of HASL t o NYOO. however, that continuing attention should be given by the Commission t o the significant encroachment of moo requirements on the research act iv i - ties of HASL, which are an integral part of the DBM program. The interplay of HASL with other agencies interested in similar The Public Health Serviceproblems was also discussed by Dr. Harley. has primary responsibility €or the collection and distribution of OFFICIAL USE ONLY
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OFFICIAL USE ONLY information, while laboratories such as HASL are concerned mainly with engineering and research ; but there is some overlapping inthe monitoring of fallout. It was apparent during the discussion that several a gene ies - have an appropriate interest in this area and that there are both toplevel and working-level reviews and contacts in the furtherance of the over - all program. Appropos of interplay, ACBM inquired specifically about the communication of new developments i n instrumentation among AEC and other laboratories. It appears that more attention should be given t o this and several possibilities were brought out in discussion (e.g. instrument catalogue, informal workshop conferences). Reports of DBM Developments University, and James E. Miller, formerly of the AEC Division of Licensing the Biology Branch, and Mr. G. Anton, i n the Fallout Studies Branch. Present information indicates that the DBM budget for FY 1965 will be minimal, par iii cula rly in regard to new construction. Several activities were discussed briefly : the recent Bio-Medical Program Directors ' meeting for a presentation of the University of Utah program; the recent review of the University of Tennessee-AEC Agricultural Research Laboratory program; the plans for modest expansion of Melvin Calvin ' s program at Berkeley; the authorization of support fora marine program and a radioecology study a t the Puerto Rico Nuclear Center; the chemical carcinogen es is program a t ORNL, which will be supported by the / There was further discussion of possible DBM relationships to the Office of Civil Defense, specifically whether certain research programs of the OCD should be carried out in national laboratories.Dr. Dunham expressed the view that this was probably not desirable. Budgetary instability of OCD isan important consideration. about the need to strengthen civil defense research efforts and the National Academy of- Sciences is taking steps to foster such -developments. There i s no question OFFICIAL USE ONLY
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OFFICIAL USE ONLY Further consideration was given to the advisability of test of Information pertaining t or ep lica s of Hiroshima and Hagasaki weapons. the proposal was circulated and members of the Committee were requested - t o send their opinions tothe Chairman... The retrospective study of mortality and morbidity of atomic energy workers recommended atthe January 1963 meeting of ACBM i s being explored further.At Hanford and Berkeley there appear t o be no objections to its Present status of licensing of isotopes for medical purposes was reviewed. The Division of Licensing and Regulation has proposed a limited certification for diagnostic applications of 1131, CrS1 and Co 58 o r 60; no change i s contemplated in regulations for therapeutic applications. ACBM has endorsed removal of restrictions for diagnostic uses at an earlier The safety of radioactive devices (sealing of sources,shipping containers,etc.) may pose a n important problem, as individual states formulate their own licensing regulations. The ACBM believes that a government agency (perhaps the Bureau of Standards) should develop the capability to test such devices for safety and t o provide advice on such matters when requested by industry. Revised or additional suggestions were made i n regard t o replacement of ACBM members who have either resigned or whose terms are about t o end, (University of California, Berkeley) in order Of The next meeting of ACBM i s scheduled for May 10-11, 1963 a t the Cancer Research Institute of the New England Deaconess Hospital, Boston,
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OFFICIAL USE ONLY a compelling reason fora meeting develops in the interim. It is likely that the June meeting will be cancelled unless Re spec tfully submitted, Scientific Secretary, Advisory Committee f o r Biology & Medicine OFFICIAL USE ONLY