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EEPORTS ON MEETINGS OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE Note by the Secret aq 1. Attached fror the information of the Commission isa mitte e for Biology and 'Medicine, and a letter dated November 25, 1949, from the Chairman, Advisory Comiittee for Biology and Medicine,ra porting on the eighteenth and nineteenth meetings respect iv ely of the Cork1tte.e. 2. A draft letter In response tothe two attached letters I s being prepared by the Division of Biology and KeGlcine, and will be submitted for Commission consider a5ion at a later date. Deputy General Manager
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ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Medicine was held on.SPhursday, October 20, 1949, a t which >he main Atomic Bomb Casualty Commissi-% n. All of the members of the Committe e were present wit n the exceptlor, of its Chairman, Dr. Alan Planning and of the Commission's approval of the program submitted by the Division of Biology and Medicine. We are conc'erned as t o the lack of definition of responsibility within the government and recognize the need for further consideration of the problem, It is apparent that the National Security Resources Board is directing its major attention to manpower mobilization,critical supplies and other problems o f resources. I have appointed a subcommittee consisting of Dr. Joseph T. have askTd them t o prepare a statement concerning the biological, medical and health physics problems which appropriately ere the Commission's responsibility in Civil Defense. You will recall that at our meeting on September 1949, Dr. Bowers reported on his visit to the Atomin Bomb Casualty Commission :n Japan. This report, as well as material subsequently furnished by the National Research Council, have raised several questions in our minds. We wonder if there is ilot too much emphasis on r e - search and too little attention to screening the survivors for sequelae of the explosions. I n vizw of the research advances that have been made since the initiation of the program, perhaps there i s need forre - orientation. Also two years have elapsed i n which relatively little information has been gained. Accordingly,-- "The Advisory Committee f o r Biology and Medicine urgently recommends that the National Research Council be requested to appraise the present status of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission program, appraise the prospective value of future work, t o recommend such modifications as may be desirable in view o f changed conditions since the start of the program, and tore - c0mmer.d a time schedule for the program in' order that the Atomic Energy Commistion may discharge its responsibi li ties in this area. I n view of the above recommendation it was the sense of the Committee that it was desirable to continue i n abeyance const ruc - tion at Kure pending a report from the National Research Council A special meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and ense Planning and the program of the We were informed of recent developments in Civil Defense
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The Committee considered the problem relating to the clear - ance of personnel engaged on unclassified research contracts.. They recognized the unique public and congressional relations problems faced by the Atomic Energy Commission in its activities in unclassified areas and they agreed that the Commission \vas right in principle in its reluctance to see clearance and investigations procedures extended to individuals working In unclassified fields. They were concerned with the delineation of secret and non - secret data and were of the opinion that fun4amental research in the fields of biology and medicine related to atomic energy must be ' free from restraints, It isour understanding that the Director of the Division of Biology and Medicin?? is preparing a staff paper which reflects some of the views of'*the Committee for submission tothe Commission on the above subj'ec'tbThe next meeting ofthe Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine dill be held at Oak Ridge Operations Office on November f o r Biology and Medicine
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ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION U.S. Atomic Energy Comiission interesting meeting"on Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12, staffs outlined their acthrd,Yes on Friday and the deliberations of the Committee were held on Saturday. We were impressed with the progress that has bzen made during the past two years in the Biology and Health Physics programs, We feel that the Isotope Distribution program is making a valuable contribution to bio logi cal and medical research and we enjoyed a discussion with Dr, Paul Aebersold I n regard t o developments inhis program, We were also informed as t o the Cancer Research program, The Advisory Committee f o r Biology and Medicine held a most We feel that the cancer program under the guidance ofthe Oak Rxdge Institute with its outstanding medical advisory board representing the southern medical schools is progressing satisfactor i ly. We understand that this board assists in formulation and review of the cancer program and renders suggestions and r e - commendations to the Director of the Oak Ridge Institute. It was encouraging to hear that the annual operating deficit of the hospital has been reduced from approximately $800,000 t o $250,000 per We were pleased to learn that the Commission has adopted the general policy of obtaining the widest possible use of isotopes by qualified recipients and that they are planning a staff study fiealing with the factors now limiting distribution. Dr. William F. Bale discussed several aspects of the waste disposal Drogram and we have asked him to prepare a paper for our orientation and study at the Januery meeting on the present status of the biological aspects of waste disposal, The Committee reviewed the status of the Civil Def.ense Pro- , gram. They were concerned w:th the restrictions that have been apparently placed on the dissemination of unclassified information and they were of the opinion that it should be released to the public. Accordingly: "It is the sense of the Committee that the Atomic Energy Commission should not accept responsibility for general defense activities and that its responsibilities //should be limited to the provision of factual information concerning the unique effects of atomic energy U p - on personnel and materials, "In view of the fact that certain restricted documents contain information which may be of value in planning for civilian defense,itis recommended that these documents be declassified to the extent that this isin keeping with security.
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The Fellowship Program was thoroughly discussed with special ber 2". The Committee unanimously reaffirmed their previous ac - tion that a Fellowship Program be continued. We have all agreed to again supply Dr. Warren with a statement that will reflect ow views on the continuance of the program for transmittal to the Commission for their consideration. The next meeting of the Advisory Committee f o r Biology and Medicine I s scheduled t o be held at the University of California i n Los Angeles and the California Institute of Technology on Chairman, Advisory Committee f o r Biology and Medicine * Secretariat Note: Circulated in AEC 4/26