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ATOM IC ENERGY Departnent *of Physiological Chemistry Univei:sity of Wisconsin Medical School Medical Sciences Building Thank you for your letter o f October 1, 1969, reporting on the 130th meeting of the Advisory Com i it tee for Biology and Medicine. We particularly appreciate your Committee devoting a major portion of your meeting to a careful review and evaluation of the validity of claims made in the scientific and popular press that past fallout radiation has been responsible for the induction of cancer and for a retardation in the trend of improven?ent in the incidence of fetal and infan‘. death rates. We understand that this review included direct reports from invited investigators as well as representatives of other agencies and staff of t h e Division of Biology and Medicine. stimulated by the numerous allegations one individual has made indicating that guidelines with regard to fallout are grossly inadequate. certain, however, you appreciate that this is closely allied to other questions regarding safety standards as applied to various aspects of the nuclear energy industry 2nd particularly in recent months the generation of electricity by nuclear power plants. We are aware that this review was Your coxnents are most timely and have proved very useful to the Commission. The Comnission has noted particularly your concluding comment “ that the data pre sn ntl y available give an adequate foundation of knowledge for setting public safety standards for. radiation. Noreover, there is good reason to believe that future research will reveal that the present stand - aras are conservative.’’ We, too,feel t’riat the research supportcd by the AEC through the Division of Biology aad Kedicine has provided a veal th of data for evaluation of the potential hazards associa’ied with the use of nuclear energy leading towards the es tabli-shiient .of acceptable standards. of this fact. Because of the importance we plsce on the cs tabl is hm nt of good safety standards for the utilization of nucl ez r energy Iam asking Dr.Totter to consider making this the major subject of the deliberations of your Corninittee i n your fcrthcoining meetings. shares vi thus the need for responsible perspectives in these matters and the Coimission will val us your future prccounceinents in this area. Iam sure that your Coirmittee
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W e share your Committee's serious concern relative the current budgetary situation and its inevitable in general and on DBM's program in particular.As pretty much, of a nationwide problem butwe are, of best efforts to obtain an easement of this situation. t o the string enc ies of adverse impact on science