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Background Infomation on Pluto niu n Injections Into Humans Office of Energy Research, ER-1 The attached Fact Sheet on the injection of 18patients with plutonium initiated under the Hanhattan Project was prepared by the Atonic Energy I n 1974, the AEC's Inspector General (IG) conducted an investigation to deter nine whether or not the patients had been told the nature of the injections and had given their permission. The I G ' s report on this investigation was issued August 17, 1974, and is classified " Official The I G ' s report found that a patient injected in 1347 had been in for ned and had signed a consent agreement inthe presence of two doctors. Another patient definitely was not informed but the records on the other16 patients are unclear. Asa result of the 1974 investigation,the doctors of the four patients alive at that time were contacted and asked t o tell the patients of the nature of the injections. One was not told because her doctor felt the knowledge would be detrimental to her health. She has since died. The other three patients,all of whon were alive as of February 1976, were Since 1974, scientific papers have been presented by Drs. Patricia Durbin (LbBL) and Robert Rowland (ANL), on the findings of follow-up studies they have conducted . I n February 1976,in response to public interest and an inquiry from the Washington Post, ERDA issued a press release containing : background information ; the Fact Sheet; and a sunnary report of the investigation. Interest declined rapidly after the release and we are unaware of any subsequent interest in then a tter until recently. We understand that recently a reporter for an Oakland, California paper interviewed both Dr s.Patricia Durbin and John Gofman on this subject and subsequently,at the suggestion of Dr. Durbin, talked the impression given the reporter by Dr. Durbin that he had led the 1974 iii ve stig ation ; gave llcr the telephone number and name of DOE'S Inspector General, and suggested she call Ils. Gail Eradshaw i n COE's public
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PIE. Eradshnv has not yet been contacted by the reporter but has infom.cd the IG's office and the Press Secretary of there pcr tri r ' s interest in this NBarr :a ?&Liprhe light of present bOI: and Ted c rd ; > oli cie s and proccdurcs regarding f;uidnnce sv nil ahl c at the tii x the injections were given, arxl t!ie proc cdu rcs by IXE and other FcckraS organizations. Office of Liealth and Z;nvirorc:.ciital kcsearch, ijffice of Liicrgy Resesrch