Document 6zzgz5MrGywkNODynKZk4N6g

* ASBESTOS TEXTILE INSTITUTE P.O.Box 239, Pompton Lakes, N.J 074 November 5, 1965 To*. Members of the Board of Governors Subject: Environmental and medical In-Plant Occupational Health Study of the Asbestos Products Industry. At the Board of Governors meeting on October 7,1965, our legal counsel P.Jay Flocken reported that Dr. L,J, Cralley, who has been in charge of the above study, was somewhat apprehensive that insufficient funds would be made available for continuation of the program on a proper scale, Mr* Flocken stated that he understood that appropriation requests inside the Department of HEW by the Division of Occupational Health were now being prepared for the next fiscal year. He stated that he believed Dr, Cralley was, in a diplomatic way, inquiring whether it would be appropriate for the industry represented by ATI to indicate to the appropriate officials.in the Division our Interest In having the program continued in an adequate manner. The Board of Governors expressed the desire to cooperate in any way that they properly could with the Public Health Service, as they have in the past, and instructed the Secretary to contact Dr, Cralley and obtain further information. The Secretary contacted Dr. Cralley who suggested that it wopld be advisable for the Secretary to discuss this matter with Mr, C.L. Sheckler of J/M Corp, inasmuch as he had had the opportunity to give Mr. Sheckler further information when they met at a recent meeting of the Industrial Hygiene Foundation held in Pittsburgh, 0ct,20~21st. Accordingly, the Secretary and Mr, Flocken met v^ith Hr, Sheckler on November 2, 1965; Dr, K.Vv, Smith also sat in on this meeting, Mr, Sheckler conveyed the information he had obtained in his conver sation with Dr, Cralley and asked that our members regard the inform ation as "very confidential". From his comments the Secretary can report: (a) About one-third of the field work has been done to date. This has covered the working/area of about 5800 people. About four more years of field work remain to be done. The total project,covering both analytical and field work, will take about five years. While no analytical work has been done to date, this could be done con currently with the remaining field work when further data has been accumulat ed. (b) Appropriations are on an annual basis and moneys are earmarked on a project basis. To date there has been no money earmarked for the asbestos project as such. Last year (presumably fiscal year June 1964 to June 1965) PHS spent about ^90,000 on the asbestos project. Dr. Cralley* a Division has requested specific money for the asbestos project in the past but it has never been actually appropiated and earmarked for that purpose. The money spent to date has been "borrowedn--through internal administrative action-- from other projects. A five year appropriation for the "Environmental Stddy,; has been requested but no money has been requested for the "Analyt ical" study. 0 8 8 8 41 ft Pag -2- (o) We have boon advised that a committee* of industry pooplo appointed by ATI to express the opinion of the industry as to the need and desirability for continuation of the Env i ronmental Study would be an appropriate technique for approaching the budget declision makers. The Secretary could advise Dr. Cralloy of our interest. He could then inform his immediate superior, Dr. hurray Brown, who in turn could arrange for the committee to moot Dr. Phillip Loe, Assis tant Secretary of .Medical Affairs, Department of HDD', in \ as hington, P.Cft It is entirely possible that such a contact would be sufficient to stimulate administrative decisions on budget allocation. However in order to bring this interest of the industry to Dr. Dee's attention in sufficient time to permit action on the upcoming PRS budget, Dr. Dee should be contacted no later t!\an December 1st, 1965, (d) It seems practicable to suggest that the committee consist of about four or five people and might be made up of those who are familiar with industrial hygiene and manufacturing problems. (e) Mr. Sheckler has learned from usually reliable sources that Drs. I.J, Selikoff and J. Churg, of Mount final Hospital In New York, who were co-chairmen of the Conference on Biological Effects of Asbestos sponsored by the Hew York Academy of Sciences in October of 1964, have obtained a Federal grant from the National Institutes of Health for a project entitled "Asbestos Exposure related to Cancer in the General Population". One of the things they apparently intend to inquire into is wether the problem is limited to industrial use or is one potontially a problem for the general community. While the size of the grant is not known, presumably Drs, Selikoff and Churg will be able to get additional money as their needs d velop. Their project could be extended for years to come with un-meritad adverse publicity for asbestos a not unlikely by- product. The Secretary and counsel have discussed the above information and recommend to the Board of Governors that a representative committee be formed to convey to Dr. Cralley and his superiors the interest of ATI members in having the PHS Environmental Study continued and to express the hope that an adequate appropriation or use of available funds can be made to insure its continuation on a suitable scale and its completion with all reasonable spoed consistent with it3 purposes. / Because there isn't much, time between now and December 1st, we liave to act promptly If v/e are going to cct at all. It may save time if the Secretary could be instructed by, telephone as to how the Board of Governors wishes to proceed. Phone*. 839-2216 Area Code 201 083348