Letter to F Strunk, Subject: Cancer Research and Treatment Institute at Orau

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I appreciate your recent letter expressing your concern for the need to sustain the Institute of Cancer Research and Treatment in the Medical Division of the Oak Ridge Associated Universities. The problem, as I understand it8 exists in the difficult-y of explaining to the public the status of the negotiations presently underway among the ORAU, the University of Tennessee Memorial Hospital in Knoxville, the East Tennessee Cancer Research, and ORNL. I ma informed by the Atomic Energy Cammission that their intent is to improve the E a s t Tennessee Regional capability for the clinical management of cancer and cancer research through cooperative support of this group. undoubtedly require increased allocations from the AEC, and you can be assured that any actions which are eventually recommended with respect to the medical division of ORAU will not be a result of a reduction in AEC funds. The question of maintaining a clinical research facility in Oak Ridge has recurred over a period of several years. The problem fa due, in part, to sub-standard clinical facilities which do not meet the requirements for accreditation and licensing authority. Moreover, another difficulty -?hasized by a gtoup of medical scientists and clinicians who reviewed the progress of the Medical Division of the ORAU, was that Oak Ridge lacked the referral characteristics rewired to sustain clinical investigations of the scope and quality now found in large medical centers. Thus, it was recommended that ORAU Medical Division explore the option of becoming integrated into the East Tennessee Cancer Research Center at the University of Tennessee Medical Hospital in Knoxville, where a more suitable environment for clinical investigations could be developed.

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These.investigations axe now underway and issues of local pride and differing personal views have influenced their the performance of all the institutions which are involved in the E a s t Tennessee Region by a cooperative program and by developing M outstanding clinical research center at the University of Tennessee Memorial Hospital in Knoxville. Nevertheless, it w i l l take some time to develop the decisions which might lead to the changes which the-Atomic Energy Cammission has recommended. tions or coannents, please let me know. However, there is a good chance of strengthening If you have any further ques-

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Cancer Research Group Friday, Oct. 18, 1974. at a time when thousands of people a n dying from cancer and the nation is crying out for a w.the officials of AEC took a step backward in finding that cure by uithdrawing Federal funds to aTroup of outstanding cancer research physicians a t the Oak Ridge Associated Universities, who seemed to be well oa their way to fiDding a total cure for cancer. Because I believed tbat if the Conthis ectiam, they would take steps to cornspantc that I rueived fran than was remarkable Many of than wrote AEC. The almost unbelievable tact is that the AEC officials have misinformed these Wnatms, leaving 8 wide credibility wrote, "At the present, eo change in . staff. is anticipated. and the reseorcb Dr. Vo do pia husband and wife re. search team. have made plans to go into private practice. That these two knowC edgeable c a m reseamb phyricians should be allowed to spend their valuable time as general practitioners is sad Sen. Ted Stevens wrote, '"This year the Congress increased its funding for gram from $105.7 mtlhon to tl34.S millioll frorq-the previous fiscal year. I kiieve this indicates that the Government k stepping up. not phasing out, rts fundin8 in the area you menmned." Contraty to h a statement and to what has ken written in the newspapers and reported 011 television. all outpatient treatment will be stopped Dec. IS. 1974. The research physicians will no longer be paid to c0.- tinue chemotherapy on those patienu that were expenmental subjects. leaving them to survlve as best they cpa If you d o not belwe thu. ask the cancer patients. No plans have been made to move ORAU to UT. Sen. Dick Clark wm(c. "It is oosribk that the administration of actual &em.- therapy is not within Oak Ridge's budgetary authority, as it is gcouolly Gavernment policy that the Federal Government not participate in research projects that invoke human subjectsw AEC has supported research projects oa human subjects a t ORAU for 23 yeam -Sen. Howard Baker wrote. 'You can be assured that any action which is eve* tually recommended with respect to the Medical Division of ORAU will ndr be a result of a reduaion in AEC funds." If AEC does not reduce the funQ where are they going? Perhaps to treat the 4s monkeys on which experimental projects were mt mu ed. sion of Biomedical and Environmental Research, wrote Sen. Edward Brooke See FORUM, Page F3 bring the clinical unit'up to an acceptcat- that funds are not available to remodel or build a new unit, the offiials of AEC announce that AEC is giving the Oak Ridge Methodist Hospital USO.OO0 plus funds for equipment to build a new wing on the existing hospital to treat patients who have recaved radiation bum. A spokesman for AEC said that the number af persons suffering from radiation( burns are few. Do you see the point? Here are thousands Crz pmpk dying from cancer. and AEC with $IUS million for research; yet, these officials say that they cannot afford n& facilitks e continue Lhis vital work. Few persons suffer from radiation bum. yet AEC can spend a half million dollars for facilities for these few people. Why not utllire every inch of that space in the radiation center by enlarging it to include cancer patients and allowing these arpuior. dedicated cancer research physicians to continue their work so that they can go forward to perhaps total victory in the conquest of cancer? My persistewe in writing about this impxtant issue k because 1 have strong convktions that AEC is doing 8 grave victhrrp and that, if enough people become concerned. a full investigation will be made. If this happens. I feel confdent that steps will k taken to see that this vital work cartinues