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For iielease ii;i ppers Sunday, Developments in the f i e l d of nuclear science have opened an entirely new field of hunan endeavor which should be exploited as rapidly as possible. The potential benefits i n t!ie medical scienoes are mong the most important opportunities offered in this new field Recognizing the importance of carefully planned and coordinated programs of niedical research, t h e United States; Atonic Energy Comnission appointed a Medical Board of Review t o examine the Cods sion ' s programs and Folic ies in this field and to mke recoAmendations for the guidance of the Commission i n conducting its own progran of nedical research and i n formulating policies regarding research carried on by non-governmental Pending the conpletion of its report mdthe study of there go rt by the Co?innission, tho Nodical hard of Review i s issuing this interim statement in recognition of the soundness and effectiveness of the Programs and policies being folloxed by the Coimission and its contractors. The members of t h e Board were; D r . Zobert F. Loeb, Lambert Professor of Xedicine, Columbia University, ILew York City, Chairman, D r , Detlev 1V. Bronk, Director, Jozhnson Research Foundation, University of I'enxsylve-nia, Fhiladelphia, and Chairman, National Dr. Vallace O t Fenn, Professor of ?hysiolagy, University of Hochester School o f hiedicine and Dentistry, Rochester, N. Y. Gasser, Director, Iiockefeller Institute for BEST COPY AVAILABLE
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and l-rol'essor of Pat?mlog;y, Vader bil t Ucivei-sity, Nashville, Tepaa Dr. Alan Gregg, Director f o r Medical Sciences, Zockefeller Foundation, New York City. hkdical School, Eoston, Pass. Assisting the Board was a staff co,nposed oi' Major Birchard M. Brundage, M.C., of t h e AtoEic Energy Cominission Medical Division a t Oak Ridge, Tern., Secretary; E r e Joe W. Bowland, University of Lieut. Albert E. Xolland Jr., M.C., of ' t h e Medical Division a t Oak Ridge. The Board has spent five days reviewing t h e medical, biological and health physics phases of the United States atomic energy program, and i s submitting tothe Atonic E:icrgy Comnissiop a report which the meabers of the Board !lope will serve as a helpful guide tothe Coranissiori i n carrying out its wprecedsnted resp on si5il it is s. The members of the Boar2 have very strongly aEpoved the measures taken by the Atonic Ehorgy Co;rmission'j .&d by its predecessor, the Maahattan Engineor District of the ?%r Department, for the Frotection of personnel engaged in the program o f development o f atomic dangerous occupation one of t!le sefcst in me rica. Tho effective licalth and safety work has made a potentially The accomplishments in th s field of health and safety area result of the olose association of the medical and biological scientists with the physicists and engineers, in the solution of be continued and encouraged, This association and collaboration should The entire pro jact of nuclecr dcvelopnent i s an outstanding example of the benefits which can be realized tnrough not only the closo collaboration of specialists in amy fields of soienco and engineering, but a l s o through the close cooperation of gov8rmental research groups with those of academic and industrial res ihr ch in st it uk ions. effective utilization of the natioilrs resaarch resources .f ield of nadical and biological research, it means the closest possible cooperation botween medical rosearch groups and t h e Atomic Enorgy Comission, and a careful planning of the Commission's program. This requires careful pla.rming to in sure the rnost
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iiig e. policy designed toe fi ect iv ely ccjoi-dlnc-te the xork of the Com i is sim and 02 the aon-govsrixxxtal roseLrch is t it u tio - ils contact betwean the ur,iv:rsities and the 2.t qiic energy program, and recommends tht this policy be coctinued and expanded wherever possible. The At or nic Energy Co mission is carrJring out an extensive progrwi o f medical mid biological I-eseerch in fields directly related to its own act iv it ios and responsibilities, Commission with rcspect to the policies ad extent of support for research carried 011 outside of thoCo ~ mission ~ sfacilities This program should ba continued The Board i s n-tking specific recornendations tothe The shortage of qu cli fie d personnel i s one of the most critical problems in the ent irc field of medical end bio lg ical research4 The Ijoard i s recommnding tothe Coniijssion tkt it give all possible suyport to th zy - og rms for tho training of psrsonnel. Assistance in the training of rdse,r,rch workers i s probably the sing lo most important forn of su,eort which the Comilmission can giv c to iso tops from the Coi;missionfs facilities. encrgy progrnm offers great or poni se of bc ne fit to r.;ankind. XO phase of th ce tonic The Eoc;rd IES boa i iq ross ed by they r of css io xl competence and progrossivc at t it u dz s of th oper some1ofthe CorroJssion cad its contractors in the fiold of medical research. unanimous in their belief that the mediczl End biolo;;- ical research progrnms of the Cczxissiox m e being properly conducted, The Board necibers are