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1. I n t h e spectrum of competing research needs of the nuclear program the external radiation studies proposed by Spalding do not have a high enough priority tc merit funding. commitment of resources i n t h i s program should be phased out over the next two years. The existing effort and 2. The radionuclide carcinogenesis studies in lung are producing significant information and are assigned a high priority rating. opinion of the reviewers this program would have much to gain by the preparation of awell documented and focused proposal which described i n detail the objectives and plans for continuing research in this area. 3. The cesium studies in human populations should be continued at the current level of funding. Publication of the results of research in this program should be accomplished. 4 . The molecular and cellular studies merit continued support. The assessment of mutagenic effects of plutonium in cell cultures in a project of considerable interest which should be funded i n EY 77. The administrative arrangements for the planning and conduct of research programs were considered t o be effective. 1. There was a clear definition of responsibility among project directors and scientists which encourages initiative and cooperation. 2. Interaction among various groups in the nuclear program appeared c3
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3 . Awareness of research programs and achlevements in other ERDA laboratories needed improvement in the judgments of the reviewers. Review of Program Projects 1. Summary of Reviewers' Comments which have been performed. There appeared to be a lack of awareness of related studies The advantages and disadvantages of using the C57B1 mouse were not clearly stated. c. Sufficient planning has not been done concerning the pathology and data processing load that are likely to arise from the experiment. d. Many variables have been arbitrarily selected and are not likely to serve the objectives of the experiment. Human age equivalency of the mouse are not necessarily correct. At some dose rates the exposure period extends over more than one age period making interpretation of results difficult. g. The exper,imental plans and objectives do not place this project in a high priority category. 2. Selected Comments for Indtvidual Reviewers a. There was no awareness of recent NCRP activities in the area of repair for low LET radiation and attempts to reduce estimates accordingly for various total dose and dose-rate combinations. Neither was there awareness of similar activities in the field that ultimately showed up in the now famous (in some circles) Rasmussen report.
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Radionuclide Metabolism Program Summary of reviewers' comments: 1. The redirection of funding from this program to nonnuclear research was viewed favorably by reviewers. 2. Continuation of a small effort in following Cs-137 levels in human populations was considered appropriate. 3. The effort to assemble and publish accumulated data was strongly Selected Comments from Individual Reviewers a. This project has been a productive effort at IASL for many years and can only be strengthened by Bob Thomas assuming leadership responsibilities, I agree that an extensive effort should be made to analyze and prepare for publication all of the accumulated data, which according to Bob, will be a monumental task. It does not appear that new radionuclide experiments are planned. However, if additional metabolism data and interspecies comparisons are required for any radionuclide, WlsL is probably one of the most qualified laboratories to do the experiments. cesium-137 is worth continuing on a limited scale, than to ward off criticism for not monitoring fallout in the human population. The data are interesting and some effort at understanding the pecular-t-es of the precipitous decrease in cesium-137 might be useful. to be responsible f o r monitoring fallout (pu and long half life fission products) in the human population, but it does not need to be a major effort involving all the laboratories. if for no other reason In think ERDA has Children as well as adults should be
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monitored--but a frequency of every two or five years is probably adequate. b. The smaller part of the radionuclide metabolism program, i.e., the determination o f cesium-137 i n members of the New Mexico population will be continued for a time and reappraised as to its future at a later date. This seem worth continuing for awhile. c. Inthe projected future it is anticipated that some animal work with radio tracers will always be required, and it is intended that the capabilities for carrying out such studies will be maintained indefinitely and available in response to possible requests from ERDA. data for publication and for finishing up the ongoing human and animals studies seems reasonable. The projected course f o r assembling and preparing accumulated e. Dr. Thomas seems t o be doing a good job inhis H-4 leadership position and in dealing with the remains of past experiments and the backlog of data analysis and writing up of results in previous studies f . The decision was made to rapidly phase out (during this fiscal year) the experimental animal work of this program and to transfer the efforts of most of the personnel toa new effort concerning the toxicity of oil shale products and components. g. It is difficult to comment on their plans to change the direction of this project to fossil fuel related effluents since the new 189 provides no useful information. nothing i s known about their capabilities for handling hydrocarbons. they should have little problem adapting to studies Of trace elementsWhile their radionuclide expertise is well developed,