Document MMLLagJ4G0vD6DXb04JLRn7Dj

CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION December 2, 1993 Donald Wborton ENSR Health Sciences 1320 Harbor Bay Parkway Alameda, CA 94501 Dear Don: The Chemical Manufacturers Association contracted with the Environmental Health Associates in 1982, 1984, and 1987 to update an epidemiology study of vinyl chloride workers. The agreement numbers and their execution dates are as follows: VC 9.0-EPI-EHA VC 10.0 VC 11.0-EHA March 11, 1982 April 9, 1984 October 21, 1987 Subsequent to these agreements, EHA merged with ENSR Health Sciences. CMA currently Is considering a further update of, "An Update of an Epidemiologic Study of Vinyl Chloride Workers, 1942-1982". In order for CMA to make its final decision to update the study to 1992, we need the following information from you: 1. Have all data been transferred from EHA to ENSR on the above-referenced studies? If yes, are these data easily retrievable for a further update? 2. Will raw data submitted by participating companies from the CMA sponsored studies be available to CMA or participating companies either in hard cop^r fora or on computer disk? 3. Did ENSR or EHA enter into any confidentiality agreements with NDI, SSAN or individual states which would prohibit ENSR from sharing fact or cause of death information on cohort members with CMA or individual companies? 4. How many cohort members were actively employed in areas of vinyl chloride exposure as of December 31, 1982? Would it be possible for you to prepare a table showing the distribution of these workers by plant Identification number? 5. Can you provide a listing of 37 plant sites with the identification of the companies and the plant Identification numbers, if not confidential? BFG 00222 2501 M Street. NW, Washington, DC 20037 Telephone 202-887-1100 Fax 202-887-1237 Responsible Care- A PublicCommitment CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION November 18, 1993 Dear Vinyl Chloride Research Coordinators: The November 5, 1993 Record of Meeting and afcommitment form) for $3,000.00 are enclosed for your review. Please execute the commitment form and return the original signature to me at CMA by December 31, 1993. If you have any questions about the enclosed items, please call me at (202) 887-1192. Sincerely, Enclosure Hasmukh C. Shah, Ph.D. Manager, Vinyl Chloride Panel 2501 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 Telephone 202-887-1100 Fax 202-887-1237 BFG 00224 L Responsible Care* 1 W APublicCommitment CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION Vinyl Chloride Panel Research Coordinators Record of Meeting DATE: TIME: PLACE: November 5, 1993 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 CMA Offices Washington, D.C. p.m. List of Attendees: Greg Bond Frank Borrelli Bob Grahek Mark Gruenwald James Knaak Dave Penney Dow Chemical Georgia Gulf GEON Borden Occidental Chemical Vista Bob Ondocsin Has Shah CMA CMA 1.0 Dr. Greg Bond was elected Chairman for today's meeting. 2.0 The VCRC identified as its objective to discuss the merits and difficulties of updating the Vinyl Chloride Panel sponsored study entitled, "An Update of An Epidemiologic Study of Vinyl Chloride Workers, 1942-1982". 3.0 Dr. Has Shah reviewed the CMA Vinyl Chloride Research Coordinator activities since the receipt of the 1986 Final Report, "An Update of An Epidemiologic Study of Vinyl Chloride Workers, 1942-1982". These activities included conducting in 1989 a feasibility survey for the reassessment of liver cancer among vinyl chloride workers that were reported in the 1986 final report. After considerable efforts by an independent contractor, it was determined that a reassessment is not feasible because of difficulties encountered in obtaining slides, tissue blocks, histopathology reports and other pertinent information from hospitals and/or reviewing pathologists. Subsequent to the 1986 final report, Wong et. al. in 1991 published an article in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine based upon the 1986 final report. The VCRC identified several concerns regarding the interpretation of the final report data in the Wong et. al. publication and wrote a letter to the Editor of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Dr. Wong responded to the Letter to the Editor. Both the Letter to the Editor and Dr. Wong's response were published in the journal this year. BFG 00225 ROM VCRC November 5, Page 2 1993 4.0 The Research Coordinators discussed the following issues to help them in deciding if an update of the previously completed epidemiology study should be undertaken: What additional information can be gained by updating the study? The additional mortality information by following the 1942-1972 cohort from 1983 to 1992 may help resolve the issue of non-angiosarcoma liver tumors and brain tumors as causes of deaths in the vinyl chloride exposed cohort. There was a general feeling that an update would be useful to resolve these issues. Will the raw data from the 1986 study be available to CMA? Dr. Shah expressed a feeling that the information that was provided by companies to the contractor will be available to companies; however, the death certificate information will not be available to CMA or even the company where the employee worked due to medical confidentiality issues. All data currently are in possession of ENSR. Dr. Bond will prepare a list of questions to be asked of ENSR to ascertain the availability of data either to CMA or the companies. Dr. Bond will forward the questions to Dr. Shah by January 15, 1994. Dr. Shah will discuss the questions with ENSR prior to the next VCRC meeting. If the existing epidemiology study is updated, should the study cohort be expanded to include workers who worked in vinyl chloride or related plants from 1973-1992? VCRC members decided that the current cohort cannot be expanded because that would confound the original study design. Also, a separate study on workers employed in vinyl chloride and related plants from 1973 onward is not feasible at this time because the cohort size and employment duration may not be large enough to generate adequate mortality information for a statistically-sound study. The VCRC agreed to revisit the issue of a new cohort study in one year. Are there any recent vinyl chloride epidemiology studies either completed or in progress? No VCRC member was aware of any recent studies; however, Dr. Shah will conduct a literature review to identify any recent studies. Dr. Shah will conduct this review prior to the next VCRC meeting. If a further 10-year update of the CMA sponsored vinyl chloride epidemiology study is to be undertaken, are all necessary data in place to begin such an update? BFG 00226 ROM VCRC November 5, Page 3 1993 Dr. Bond will check with the National Death Index office on when all 1992 death certificates may be available from states. Usually, there is a 2 to 2.5 year lag period between the time of death and the time when the death certificates would be available from the states for research purposes. Dr. Bond will forward the lag period information to Dr. Shah by January 15, 1993. 5.0 The VCRC agreed to meet in March/April 1994 to review progress of all action items resulting from today's meeting and decide on a course of action. 6.0 The VCRC developed a budget of $24,000 for 1994 for administrative and consultant services. Consultant services would include ENSR's work to respond to CMA inquiries regarding the availability of data from the previously completed study. Dr. Shah will send a commitment form for $3,000 per company to VCRC members. 7.0 The meeting adjourned at approximately 1:00 p.m. Subject to Approval November 15, 1993 Hasmukh C. Shah, Ph.D. Manager, Vinyl Chloride Panel BFG 00227 CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION Vinyl Chloride Panel Research Coordinators Commitment Form / ixy My company commits to contribute $3,000 for administrative and consultant services for the Vinyl Chloride Research Coordinators Task Force. The Panel is conducted under the policies and procedures outlined in the CHEMSTAR Panel Guidelines (as noted on the reverse of this form). While appreciating the opportunity, my company declines to participate. We are required by law to tell you that contributions, gifts or membership dues paid to CMA are not deductible as ncharitabla contributions" for income tax purposes. This law does not affect the deductibility of these payments as a "business expense." Panel Representative L jl. fix Name (Signed) Management Contact (optional) Name (Signed) Name (Typed) Name (Typed) Title Title Cuommi pany Company (cl to Address Otl 44(3 f ___________ Address /6ukW4>- ks--3 Telephone _____ Telephone Telecopier (Type, Make, Number) Telecopier (Type, Make, Number) Please return signed form by December 31, 1993 to: Hasmukh C. Shah, Manager Chemical Manufacturers Association 2501 M Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20037 C' o ,(> BFG 00228 UUeofey A (v\ivU"/' l/C-rtC ^L. BFG 00230 JAN 30 '98 10:09 FR PATTON BOGGS LLP 919941 6840 TO 7734761001703741 P.02/02 9 V; * v Directions to Patton Boggs, L*I~P~ From X--4} Wc ** r, , Taka T'-Hr 232 (Page Road) to the end or ramp and makfc a rrga'C gbed Fsg* *Road_ Ai ng? traffic Light a left oaro Emperor Boulevard* - Make a rigar onto Slater* Road (across from cfae entrance to the -^aemrou Hocel). ... Maks a left into the pafTriay lot at 1J01 Slatpr Road (Brighton Ball buiMIng). * *** * From 1-40 ^ro *' 'Tske&ai 232 (Page Roa) Jirpugh the traffic U%na , Make a right onto Sister Rosa (adross Srfm file estraqes to t&g S&eggtyi Hoeei). Make a left TMra die parking lot ar 1101 Sister Rosa (Brighton Blzliiaildlngj. \ <4 * * * m 4 * % . -* O i, Patten Boggs? L T.J*. (a located os the second floor ofBrighton Fofl ** TOTAL PAGE.02' ** BFG 00231