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Pacific Northwest Laboratories Subject HSC 75-20 Aerosol Deposition in Human Lungs from Energy Sources and Urban Pollution This memorandum reflects my disapproval of this project due to the failure to protect the rights of the individuals about whom information is to be acquired and used. On August 6, 1974, I conditionally approved this project "subject memorandum to Dr. Rancitelli, August 7, 1974, recommended approval subject to acceptable consent and confidentiality procedures, No response was forthcoming. Subject identical proposal prompted reiteration of that request. memorandum to Dr. Bair, September 10, 1975, noted "special permission for our analyses should not be required." The law, government regulations, and Battelle's policies, recognizing the right to privacy, require the informed consent of an individual with respect to whom private information is to be acquired and used for research purposes. I can envision some behavioral research in which securing informed consent would compromise the integrity of the research such that the organization performing it because of the importance of the work might violate this principle and choose to take the risk of not securing consent, I don't see that as a function of the Human Subjects Committee, whose obligation is to assure the protection of the rights of the individuals involved. In this particular proposal, I can think of no reason other than mere convenience why the consent of the individual prior to death or of the next of kin after death cannot be secured for Battelle to acquire and use the information. Finally, if there is no need to secure permission because there is no risk to the individual, why is it necessary to assure the anonymity of the individual by not having the name associated with the information?