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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT So far I have heard from four members o f the Adviaom Committee on 180tape Distribution in response tQy o u r memorandum o f November 26th. I am enclosing copies o f each of the four letters for YO= own information. You can estimate these letters and the comments for youSelf, but I think after reading them I would like to present my own viewe on the matter very briefly. Becawe of the reported imminence of the Manhattan District being taken over by the Atonic Energy CoPlmissisn, i t is probably net feasible or wise for eur Interim Gemittee t o holU a meeting before fbi a transition take8 place. Bather, I think our cemmlttee should urge the Atomic Energy Commission t o set up a permanent committee en isotope distributian at the earliest poesible time, t o authorize the Manhattan District, i n the meantime, t o continue present iaetepe die tri - butien policies and procedures, but t o have the new cod tte e at once with the provisione of the AtOrSiC $nergy Act. an intensive study o f the problem of irotopa distribution in line I think the mombere o f the committee muld agree QEL the following recolmnendations t o the Atomic Energy CommiESion: (1) The distribution of radioactive and stable ieotopee t o reeearch laboratories i n thie country and even= tually abroad is a matter o f very great importance, and should be regarded as @ne o f the primary W a g 0 the promme of science. It is hardly possible f o r a group like our8to state whether this activity should be given priority over other activities of the Commission, but certainly the supply o f etable and radioactive ieotopes Isa matter o f major importance. For t h i e reason, the Commission ohauld give immediate attention t o the problem of how der the Atomic Energy Act the manuiacture ani dietribation o f mch isotopes mn be put upon a broader base and made still
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Letter t o Paul C. gebersold from L. A. Dusridge -2- Dec. 17, 1946 (2) The interim mechanism of having the commercial company prepare and supply these isotopes with inappropriate and unnecessary under the Atomic _1---_the sti mula tio n-. o f research i n every way, - part___cularly by the eupply of such materiaLs, i s a primary function of the Atomic Energy Commission Consequently, it would seem t o me that the whole idea of cost accounting and o f individual research laboratories attempting t o pay, either allor any fixed fraction of actual costs, ahould be abolished. Rather, the Commission ehould? whatever cost is necessary t o supply such isot olfs on a scale adequate t o meet the needs of research, the only criterion being ths interference with other more important activi ties of the Commission. In other words, every attempt should be anade t o put the facilities of the Commission t o the greatest poesible ume towards forwarding research,without attempting t o make individuals, or institutions, pay a fixed fraction o f the cost. Bather, the payments should be reduced t o token payments, such payments t o represent primarily a Itgood faith” payment, and payments t o make at least a partial coverage of actual handling and shipping costs. I believe no one would urge that such material would be provided with no charge t o laboratories, but on the other hand, I think there would bo agreement that any attempt at cost-accounting should be abandoned, and that euch material be supplied, even though the Government pays up t o 99% of the coets. The main thing is t o use facilities to their maxi rum output, and t o make the material widely available t o properly established In addition t o the provision of material, the Commission should ale0 make every attempt t o supply complete informetion on characteristics of isotopes, methods of measurenent, and a31 other matters connected with the proper use of radioactive and stable isotopes. attention should be paid t o providing laboratories with Information and poeeibly even equipment f o r making good radioactive measurements, i n order that full uea
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may be made of the isotopes supplied. It is most important that the program of supply of useful stable isotopes be initiated at once, and that this be made a l s o an importwt activity The Commission should a l s o take steps to supply, either directly or through commercial concerns, synthesized labelled compounds of use in chemical, biological and medical work. Certainly every effort should be made to encourage and support the training of workers in radioactive and stable A8 to organizational responsibility f o r distribution of isotopes, it would seem to me that while the Corn= mission may want to retain a policy advisory committee on distribution, d l of the actual organizatiod work ehould be handled directly by an administrative organization set up by the Commission. It would appear to be unnecessary to have all requests referred to the Advisory Committee, which should advise only on general policy, leaving it to the Commission to review hdividual reques& and establish priorities for filling them. The distribution of stable and radioactive isotopes to responsible foreign laboratories should be initiated at as early a date as needs in this country can be filled. It should not be difficult to establish suitable agencies, such as academies of science, i n foreign countries to certify the reliability of individual requestors, or indeed, to have all reqnest~ from the country pass through such an agency. In foreign distribution again, no attempt should be made to see that the laboratory pay6 any specific fraction of costs, but a somewhat higher handling o r token charge might easily be imposed. A0 you will see, the taking over of this whole project by a Civilian commission completely changes the philosophy under which research should be encouraged through isotope distribution. authorized to -port such research directly, and does not come at all under the restriutions which govern a military organization, such as the Manhattan District. For this reason, a complete review of the entire eubject ahould be undertaken by the ~ommisaionat an early date, new procedurea undertaken, whoee major objectives hall be in line with the ob3eOtiveB of the Atomic Energy Act, the wide encouragement and EuppOrt of research in nuclear science and allied fields, in every poasible way. The Commiesion doe6 not need the "protectionn of a civilian adviaory committee whsfd it wishes the assietance of such a committee, for the Commission The Commission is now
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is fully empowered to set uq its own policies and procedures. Finally, if the Commission should either be unable to look into this problem immediately, or if it should wish the present Advisory Committse to make more specific recommendations as to future procedures, I think it would be wise early in the year to hold a meeting of the COPD.. nittee to formulate such recommendations for future action. I would appreciate it if you would pass these cornmanta on ta such authorities as would be intereeted, and I would be glzd to have them passed eventually to the Atomic Energy Commission. AB far as %hie letter is Concerned, it should be coneidered as voicing my own personal viewr and I Can Only say that there seem6 to be nothing in the commente 88 far received from other members of the Committee which would indicate that en;g of them are opposed to these views. With best wishes, Committee on Isotope Dietribut ion Policy