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Director, The Jackson Laboratory Bar Harbor, Maine 04609 Thank you f o r your letter of January 15, 1969, reporting on the 128th meeting of the Advisory Comolittee for Biology and Medicine. W e share your concern about the present'great uncertainties in evaluating the risk from inhaled, alpha-emitting isotopes. course, is much broader than hazards from SNAP devices and includes hazards from nuclear f u e l reprocessing, weapons storage, and iacreasing prospect for use of such isotopes in terrestrial applications (e.g., the heat source for the artificial heart). Biology and Medicine has drawn up plans for an expanded effort in this area of research which it expects to initiate at an early date unless unforeseen budgetary restrictions are imposed. The problem, of The Division of We appreciate receiving your views on the proposed medical facility to utilize pi-mesons for radiation therapy. Although no funds for this construction have been requested i n FY 1970, serious consideration will be given t o requesting the funds in FY 1971. , Your concern over t h e lack of an integrated radioisotope heat source and engine development program under the AEC's direction is shared by identified other programmatic needs of higher priority than the development of a totally implantable radioisotopic power supply. programs as cardiovascular research for treatment and prevention of heart disease and the development of temporary circulatory support devices are deemed more urgent by them than the development of permanent assist or total heart replacement devices. its efforts to gain support fora radioisotope power supply systems development program for heart devices. However, atthe present time the National Heart Institute has
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We agree wLth your comments on the need for long-term animal experiments. In no other way can much of the needed information be obtained. unforeseen budgetary restrictions, the Division of Biology and Mediclne plans to continue its valuable long-term studies.