Document X8OR11Qmrr253vvEe8wJ11qwJ

URL 2 2 8 2 8 t Manufacturing Chemists Association Minutes of Meeting TECHNICAL TASK GROUP ON VINYL CHLORIDE RESEARCH MCA Conference Room Washington, D. C. November 14, 1972 PRESENT: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Allied Chemical Corporation Borden Chemical/Division of Borden, Inc. Continental Oil Company The Dow Chemical Company Ethyl Corporation B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company, A Division of The B. F. Good rich Company PPG Industries, Inc. Shell Chemical Company Stauffer Chemical Company Tenneco Chemicals, Inc. Union Carbide Corporation UNIROYAL, Inc. MCA Staff W. Mayo Smith W. A. Knapp H. L. Schmidt, Jr. F. Kennedy T. R. Torkelson W. E. Rinehart W. E. McCormick Z. G. Bell, Jr. R. L. Maycock M. V. Anthony for A. B. Lindquist A. Siegel for M. Rosen R. N. Wheeler W. D. Harris G. E. Best K. D. Johnson GUESTS PRESENT: The Dow Chemical Company 1CI Mond Division C. Otis D. M. Elliott ABSENT: Exxon Corporation N. V. Hendricks Firestone Plastics Company W. W. Madden Monsanto Company E. P. Wheeler Olin Corporation v/ M. R. Casque PLAINTIFFS EXHJBIT -2- URL 2 2 8 2 9 1, Agreements with European Research Group - G. E. Best 1.1 "Equal Status" Standing of European Group Mr. Best reported that the intent of stipulation (c) in Mr. Elliott's letter of October 30 had been clarified by subsequent discussions between MCA and XCI. The phrase in question -- "...European Group who shall have equal status to other contributing sponsors." is meant to refer only to the rights of access to research data on a current basis. Representation on the Vinyl Chloride Research Coordinators is intended only to give such data access, and not to imply any right to have a determining voice in project definition or program management. 1.2 Pledge of American Sponsors to Hold European Research Data Confidential Mr. Best explained to the group the inability of MCA to offer any warranty to the European Group as to the extent to which the American sponsors could or would honor the requests of the European Group to hold its data in strict confidence, and of the consequent need by the latter for individual pledges from each of the American sponsors to which such data might be disclosed. He had therefore distributed to each of the American sponsors a simple pledge of such secrecy. Two points in the proposed pledge appeared to give concern to counsels for some of the MCA members. The first related to the absence of any explicitly stated time limit in the pledge. The second was the failure of the proposed agreement to provide for those circumstances under which proceedings before judicial or administrative bodies might place a legally binding obligation upon a company to reveal any knowledge in its possession concerning adverse effects associated with vinyl chloride exposures. Mr. Elliott expressed his hope that the European Group would recognize the slight, but finite probability of a company being placed under legal obli gations to disclose European research data in their pos session, and offered to work with MCA staff in reaching an agreement broad enough to cover such exigencies. He expressed firm opinion, however, that his group would not accept any time interval of less than ten years during which any secrecy agreement would be binding. i URL 2 2 8 3 0 i * -3- All present indicated conceptual agreement witil ana approach to protecting confidential treatment of Eurqpsm* research data based upon these general provisions. Each m^i i used willingness to submit to MCA signed agree ments acceptable to their own counsels, and hopefully accigilafcle to the European group. Mr. Best is to forward copies of such agreements to 2C1 for review by the European graqpu Only when stipulations acceptable to the latter have %een received from all the American sponsors can the European group make a full disclosure of current project resMQft* and proposed follow-up research plans. 2. Report on Conference with European Group and Project Staff - Dr. W. D. Harris JT. Harris gave a brief report on his conference with tthe European group on October 19 in Milan, and of his visiE to the project facilities at Bologna on the following day* Copies of the summary of the exposure protocol followed by Dr. Maltoni and his staff were distributed to flae group. Dr. Harris expressed his high personal regard for the competence and professional integrity of the research team. 3. Report from Mr. D. C. Elliott Mr. Elliott announced that, in the absence of suitable secrecy agreements from all in attendance, he would be un able to present any quantitative or complete discussion of the results currently in the hands of the European group. He did express the deep concern of his principals over the implications of the results currently available, end the need to have unresolved issues more fully explored before the next meeting of the 11th Intemation Cancer Congress, scheduled to meet in Florence in October of 1974. He indicated that Dr. Caputo, a coauthor with Dr. Viola of the 1969 paper, would at that time be presenting new and presumable highly damaging data on compounds of mutual interest. Mr. Elliott extended a warm invitation to the American sponsors to visit (after secrecy agreements have been accomplished) the Bologna research facilities and to examine at first hand the slides and data there on file. He out lined briefly several areas for follow-up investigations that the European group felt must be given consideration. URL 228 3 1 -4- 4* Request for Prompt MCA Board Project Approval A number of those in attendance urged that MCA expedite the steps necessary to secure authorization for the invoicing of sponsors for their first increment of support funds before the close of the year* They indicated that, in a number of instances, their fiscal years ended with the calendar year and that failure to avail themselves of funds already in their 1972 budgets would cause administrative problems in modified budget requests* Mr. Best offered to forward this request to MCA President Driver* 5 Charge to Vinvl Chloride Research Coordinators The members of the Vinyl Chloride Research Coordinators were instructed to amend their proposed research protocol to accommodate the views expressed in the current discussions in the light of the information that had been developed since the last meeting of the group, and to expedite the start of a meaningful animal exposure project under American direction and control. They were also asked to proceed promptly with the drafting of plans for epidemiological studies and vinyl chloride metabolism studies to be organized and funded at a later date. They were asked not to let either the technical or administrative problems in the latter projects delay the start of already authorized and funded chronic exposure studies. Respectfully submitted^ \fKenneth D* Johnson Secretary Technical Task Group on Vinyl Chloride Research Minutes Subject to Approval December 4, 1972 KDJ:mkb