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Dr. Dixy Lea Ray, Chairman Atomic Energy Commission Dear Doctor Ray: Did you know that officials of the Atomic Energy Commission are planning to do a grave injustice to cancer victims at the Oak Ridge Associated Universities by withdrawing all treatment from those patients on which they have started I xr3te 50 Senators about A X ’ S decision to close down this iq or tz nt Ned ical Divisi3n. At the time that I wrote them, Ihad no idea that .43C would ask for 134. 5million for research and then refuse fDr th z outstanding research physicians to complete the exp nr i ivn tal research projects that they had started on to provide enough of those funds Cihcn Congress voted this larse appropriation for research, they evidently did not know that the Commission was plan - niz g to take such an inhumane action against the cancer beclz’se of the outstanding rz search that :-.y being able t o icrite a w31~,2ni n stead of aman about my problem is a treat.I feel that because you ark’ a woman you can see smet king to correct it. i n n3r-2 detail is enclosed. ,\:any of them, lil ce ny self,area live in a in ly
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To The Oak Ridger: Would you start a guinea pig with cancer on a method of chemotherapy to try to cure it and in the middle of the experiment discontinue the medicine with little or no COP. cern about the animal or the outcome of the experiment? Of course, you would not. Well, that is basically what the officials of AEC are forcing the research physicians at the Oak Ridge research center to do with their cancer victims - not guinea pigs but human beings of whom many have been fortunate enough to have their lives prolonged by the treatment they have received there. Contrary to what has been reported in the press, on Sept. 20 an official of ORAU wrote all their patients referring them back to the family physician, telling them that the hospital would be closed on Nov. 15, and that all treatment would be discontinued Dec. 15, 1974. This action has certainly left the cancer victim in such a dilemma that he literally does not know which way to turn. When many of the cancer patients entered the research center, the research physician started them on a highly SUCcessful experimerdal method of chemotherapy to try to find a cure for cancer or to find a better method of treatment so that the cancer patient's life could be prolonged. If the treatment is discontinued, the patient might die in a short time; if the medicine is administered by a general practitioner, it so potentially dangerous that it may kill the The medicine, which is strong enough to reduce and control the tially hazardous that the specialist, who will recognize minute symptoms of danger, must carefully observe the patient. An overdose o r a reaction to the medicine could destroy the platelets, causing the patient to bleed to death; destroy the white blood cells, leaving the patient susceptible to many types of diseases; or poison the kidneys, causing immediate death. In many cases, the types of cancers treated by these specialist a r e rare. The average practitioner does not understand the disease o r the drugs or how to administer them. Yet, these officials are sending these cancer victims back to these While AEC is discontinuing the treatment and care of human beings, they are continuing the treatment and care of 450 cluding the erection of an ultra modern building with elaborate I believe that, if the government provides funds to begin a research project of this type, that they are ethically, morally, and legally responsibln to pletion of the project. Congress is not responsible for the problem that these cancer victims a r e having. They have increased the funding for the AEC Biomedical and Research Program from $105.7 million in 1974 to $134.5 million for 1975 - an increase of nearly $30 million from the previous fiscal year. In addition, an amendment was passed by the Senate increasing the total appropriation for cancer research to 755 million. Despite all these appropriations, the research physicians are being told that they can no longer be funded to continue these vital research projects. This is an outrage; one for which the American people should not stand. Therefore, I a m asking all your readers to voice your opinion about this issue by contacting the officials of AEC, the legislatures, the president, the National Cancer Institute, the National Cancer Society, or any other organization that will investigate the matter. I
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TO: 0 COMMISSIONER DATE: 10/17/74 a GEN. MANAGER 0 GEN. COUNSEL 0 INFO. SERVICES 0 DIR. REGULATION 0 PLAN. & ANAL. 0 SECRETARY FROM: Huntsville, Tennessee TO: Chairman Ray ~~~~:10/7/74 Opposed t o closing of Medical' Division at PREPARE REPLY FOR SIGNATURE OF: GP&ASERETURN ORIGINAL WITH RESPONSE FOR DIRECT REPLY SEND COPY OF REPLY TO. 63 SECY MAIL FACILITY (3) FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION FOR THE COMMISSION: WHEN SEPARATED FROM ENCLOSURES HANDLE THIS DOCUMENT AS