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Interoffice Communication CONFIDENTAL To Plane Managers risni D. A. Kuhn ot March 7 , 1979 Suajtct POSSI3LE LINKBETWEEN VCM AND BRAIN TUMORS Enclosed is a copy of an article which will appear in the March edition of ChenNeus scheduled co be in employee mailboxes abouc March 21. There is also a copy of an article from the February 28th issue of Chemical Week. These cover the discovery or a high incidence of brain tumors among employees at Union Carbide' Texas City plant. Publicity surrounding the announcement cited a possible link between VCM exposure and this paticular type of brain tumor. Very recently there was news of five additional brain cancer deaths at Monsanto 1j nearby chemical plant. The information is so preliminary that they are not sure of the type of brain tumor so no conclusions can be drawn. We're running the article in ChenNeus because our employees neec co be informed abouc che situation from Conoco Chemicals point c view, but we also wanted you co have some more background infor mation so chat you can answer questions chat may arise. First, 1 don't believe chat any Conoco Chemicals employees shoul be alarmed. No one has yec inferred chat che present 1 ppm standard is not stringent enough co adequately procecc employee: As che story points out che link between tumors at Union Carbide and VCM is hypothetical. Some mention of a link between brain tumors and VCM has been found upon searching che scientific literature. These studies also show an increased possibility o: lung and liver cancers. as che Chemical Week article points ou: there were nine deceased and one living employee with glioblascc mulciforme a tumor of the brain cells. There was one deceased employee with meningioma, a tumor of the brain covering. Both were malignant. We have done a quick scan of che medical records of employees exposed co VCM and found several instances of brain tumors. No of them are glioblastoma multiforme or meningioma, the types of tumors discovered at Union Carbide. Here are che details: -Ed Wilkins at che VCM plant died of ependymona, a maligna tumor of che brain covering, but different from meaingios -Jimmy Hawkins ac Aberdeen died of metastatic melanoma o h&the brain, a cancer chat originated in another part of a VVC 000020496 2 Q a Plane Managers Page : March 7, 1979 body buc metacisised chrougho'uc his system generating the b rain tumor. -Dick. Darling ac Baltimore had a brain cell tumor buc it was benign. Union Carbide is now committed to completing a high quality scud;, with or without NIOSH co determine the cause of the tumors. Conoco Chemicals will also do a thorough study of the records of our present and past employees, co make sure that the resulcs of our scan are correct. We'll be following Union Carbide's scut which is expected co cake about a year and inform you and employ* about our and their results. If I can answer further questions DAK:sc cc: R. E. Lehmkuhl - Houston C. L. Whetstone, M.D. - Ponca City N 07 o 'S&.SZJ OSHA, KIOSH study brain-tumor deaths at Union Carbide facility Following the discovery that 10 em ployees it Union Carbide's Texas City. Tea. plant had died of brain turnon, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health are conducting an epidemiological study of 8.000-10.000 proem and former worker* at the plant. The investigation resulted from a worker's complaint last November, alleging an abnormal incidence of brain tumors among personnel in the company's cnemical-shipping area. OSHA inspectors visited the plant on Dec. 13. 1978. and Jan. 8. 1979. and reported last week that examination of Carbide's medical records revealed 11 brain-tumor cases, including 10 deaths. Nine of the wortcers had died of a form of cancer called glioblastoma multiform: the living worker is believed to have glioblasto ma. The other employee died from meningio ma. another type of brain tumor. According to OSHA Administrator Eula Bingham. "The total number of brain tumors so far would appear to be higher than expected for a plant popula tion this size." At tbe start of the investi gation. which is expected to take about a year, vinyl chloride monomer is the lead ing suspect. While VCM is matt common ly associated with angiosarcoma, a form of liver cancer, several studies have linked it to glioblastoma. Sanford Lefltngwell. a NIOSH medical officer who is heading the epidemiological study, cites a 1976 study by- Richard Waxwetler published by the New York Academy of Sciences, and a later study by Italian researcher Cesart Maltoni that showed an incidence of another type of brain tumor in rats exposed to VCM. A study supported by the MCA also recognized an incidence of glioblastoma among the workers exposed to VCM in its ample. Carbide says that the afTeoed workers were exposed to VCM in 19JO-1965. but evidence at ibis point is far from conclu sive. Leffingwcll ays that other chemicals in use at the plant, including ethylene oxide and acrylonitrile^ arc possible causes of brain tumors and will be examined. It is also possible, he points out. that the number of glioblastomas could turn out not to be excessive far a plant with approx imately 3.000 employees. In the period since 1941, there have beeo 4J5 known deaths of Carbide employees at Texas City. although xll 10 in which brain v -- :--s ":re listed as the cause occurred ie the years between 1962 and 1978. Shock Wans vn the teniitive link to V'CM has sent tremors through the vinyl industry. On Fehrusry 13. Union Carbide Svnisx nears naproxen awsuit settlements pant manager Damon L. Engle sent a \Pharmaceutical producer Syntex CorpJ letter to employees at Texas City appris*. agreed last week to settle sut of court aU ing them of the brain-canerr cases. A pending lawsuits with Syntex shareholden similar letter was given to employees it and\Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories Carbide's S. Charleston. W.Va_ facility, connected with IBTs alleged ddn- and other VCM manufacturers were aenrirs in testing Syntex's anti-anhtftic informed of the findings at Carbide. A drug, laproxen. I Dow Chemical statement cautions against The 'agreement requires the companies hasty correlation of the deaths with VCM. to set ug a 52.75-miliion settlement fund, Dow says that mortality studies conducted of whienk % 1.8 million would come/from recently at Freeport. Tcx_ and last year at IBT. S57J.OQO from Syntex. and S3/5.000 its Plxquemine. Lx, VCM facilities failed from Syntex's insurance company. In ~to show any indication of a similar situa exchange. \ftc lawsuits would be dropped. tion. Both studies showed no deaths from The arrangement is still subject jto court brain turnon among VCM workers." approval. The joint OSHa-KIOSH investigation The settlement fund benerfts class- team is gathering data. As a result of action lawsuiaptainufTs. whosepuiu. filed findings to date. OSHA is also investigat ing a "compliance complaint" a; Monsan in 1976 and liter consolidated at federal court in New 'Ljrk. alleged ttfat IBT was to's operations in Texas City and says that deficient in perfWiing and reporting on a it is possible that other plants will also be rat study of Syntex's Kaprogyn naproxen. checked, though none has been identified. . The suits also charged thafi Syntex knew Davis Laync. area director of OSHA's or should have known about the alleged Houston office says "We are just begin deficiencies, and\lbxt ibe prices of ning to turn the leaves, and it all depends Syntex's securities \ were/ artifieiiily in- an what turns up." G flxted because of \Ucgtsdly fraudulent representations and emissions stemming from the company's! gmemenu about ilifter's board OK's 2-fqr-1 stock split naproxen, la addition.Jon Oct. 13, 197$, tbe Food and Drug Administration pro posed withdrawing itrfaflproval of naprox- en's new drug appliedtioi on the grounds Stauffix Chemical's board last j&cek approved aVwo-for-coe stock-split propos Jof tbe alleged dcficiqfidcssn the rat stud) by IBT for Syntex. \ al that they will present to shareholders on Syntex says it is agreeing on the settle April 18 far final approval. The move is ment to avoid tbe /expense! of a length) the latest in a s&eg of stock-split propos trial, which would require eur idealist! als by such chemical companies as Du and executives tedwaste mondis in court Pont. Mobil CorpoSmiibKbne. and Car rooms thousandsMf miles awav." But tb< lisle Corp, (OK.10). company admii^ no wrongdoVtg in th: H. Barclay Moric\ySutiifcr's chair case. and. in earlier answers teethe suits man. said the proposcdCsplit would help denied all allegations of improper conduct bring the stock pnccywhich was around Aa of July 3y 1971, Syntex's wortdwid J-tO/share last weekyoowitao a level that sales of napryxen totaled 887 mfilion fc would be more attractive anmgJTordable to investors. The proposal ofiils for boosing Stauf the fiscal year. The non-hormonal ant inflammatory drug, marketed in awaut a countries, is a major product in Suites fer's authorizatidii for shares to 70 million human pharmaeeutiais business. | from the present 30 million. Right now Naleo Chemical. IBTs parent cognpc there are xpoat 21.9 million shares outstandiagyand the largest shareholder ny. note! that, as part of the tetUeirerr Syntex agreed to dismiss a suit the drit among tbe hoard at directors. Christia\dc maker ^led against IBT in Chicago, ora DampenL owns fewer than 2%. the settlement of the suits in New York"- The board also said that, if the shard appro/cd. And IBTs Sl.l-million pi holderyapprove the proposal, the boar meat/under the settlement terms. Nal will c/nsidcr boosting the second-quarter' sayat will be charged against the resn-rO dividend by 105. to 27.5e/share after the for/discontinued operations set up (JJ spli/ The move would be in line with the Naleo in I97g. , company's policy of raising dividends to syntex. meanwhile, says it )jax rcpeaOi let tbe etfects of inflation. Stauffer has (e study of naproxen in question, ar^ plit iu stock two for one twice in the ibmitted it to FDA in late-4978. but^w past--in April 8957 and in May. 1976.0 fiat has had no response frpfttjTDA. . -- ~ ^ oo Co ; * - ?"-** .. DTc.ii i tumors .c:::;ci a: l l' ->r^orKi/^o Aft ui:u*aah v hip: rumour or w.i i-f it Union C=rms:`xTexas t. itv f .-:.c savcuiea of a type 01 hrein ::;:.;urtkar sv.r.v tedcrei U.ii::: ee::tvcmay oc hnUw a .w .::.>*! chi-*:d;:. Tuc ccnmrrtcs or nine Texas v-i * wuiiicrs who died u'iv;,v;, J^v.ianti 197slist acam ccrwu> cu.y.nr xtiuwn asglioblas' reused Cik, ............ ; w.U CJIS* ; iu..* . - living. ius ktn ctag* i.UjCj i.-; having the same iv.*.' in tumot *! jk* Kn'.zt causes otdeath wvfc :-:a.a up m a iwim study borne ctiftducted by 05HA* T UO'if f .;..J Ca:b;Jcass i esc it : w uoruer tut|namt late last ycac So iat over 4SO death ccniuwstoi have been examined* *.;;J hov::i: ;.vuid< wi more than ,000 o> JO.OOO ptesent and former employees, going back to 1941, arc being reconstructed. Separately. Union Carbide has announced plans to study health records oi over 50,000 present and former employees across the nation. No positive VCM link The tetri number of brain tumiiit.una so far "wguJJ appear to be higher than * expected** at a plant like that at Texz C"**:v. which currently employe about 1.000 workers, and represents an '`unusually high inciu.r-.vc 'Qi such deaths, said Eula Unssham. assistant secretary or iabnr :u; (JSIIA. **1; too early and there are too many chemicals in use at the plant to reach any definitive correlations,** she continued. Sourcui at Union Carbide have tuld Conncu Chemicals Company that thev also are no: teady to assume vinyl chionde u responsi ble in? tir: tumors because many outer chemicals are made or han* died m the plant. and some of the affected employees did nor have work history associated with VCM exposure. **lViw some to he following the studies atlfcuon Carbide vcnr cl:v.!y. snd we*U kcp etn* rhru >;-Jir informsJ as results d.'veii p. raid Dave utthn. diree* tur ci rivnttnhcal ."Jenviron* :v.7.u1 a..aua tot Conoco CUir-iriis. .... ::::uvsas::s'., , enry.- -.w ia>: to r. rer.: ~^cr for ..:-:heraX:a. ta;i . any tea* t.i our etnpioycvi iu K* ^00^0052 James J. Hall fconoco) 3df ^**^7 /r&<- Lt S*v4^ -Zff lity }/o 'Z&&U. si#****- i*. AJ/DS4 \Jtscf * ,</ f A/^P**- - SOQbOOSZ ooooio'01 V'jC