Document ga1k4E2N5NVwdrLgQyKJx930a

CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION March 1,1995 Ms. Mary Symcox Office of Vital Records P.O. Box 3887 Phoenix, AZ 85030 Dear Ms. Symcox: The Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA) currently is in the process of updating an industry-wide cohort mortality study of vinyl chloride workers. The previous update, through 1982, was conducted for CMA by Environmental Health Associates, now owned by ENSR Health Sciences of Alameda, California. The current update, through 1992, will be conducted for CMA by Applied Epidemiology Inc. (AEI) of Amherst, Massachusetts. AEI will be conducting a standard epidemiologic analysis of the data and will only be reporting summary results with statistical analysis. There will be no individual identifying information included in study reports, and no follow-back from the death certificates will be performed. In conducting the previous update, the principal investigator (Dr. Otto Wong) signed a confidentiality agreement with your state vital records office as a condition for receiving copies of death certificates for study subjects known to have died in Arizona between 1942 and 1982. Some of these certificates were obtained based on information from the National Death Index (Application No. 84-0012); others based on information obtained from other sources. To maintain the integrity of the existing dataset, ENSR Health Sciences requires documentation from your office allowing them to transfer all these death certificate copies to the new contractor (AEI). To complete the new update of the vinyl chloride epidemiology study expeditiously, we request your assistance in granting ENSR permission to transfer death certificates to AEI. We have enclosed a permission document for you to review, sign, and send to CMA using the enclosed envelope. CMA will coordinate your response with ENSR, who then will be able to transfer all previous study data to the new contractor. The new contractor, AEI, will maintain the confidentiality of the data under similar conditions to those specified for the earlier study update. A signed statement of assurance of confidentiality of the data on part of AEI is enclosed. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in completing this important scientific project for CMA. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please call collect to Dr. Hasmukh Shah of the CMA at (202) 887-1192. Sincerely, ^-| (X mm Hasmukh C. Shah, Ph.D., D.A.B.T. Manager, Vinyl Chloride Panel Chemical Manufacturers Association Enclosures Christian Seigneur, Ph.D. General Manager ENSR Health Sciences R&S152713 2501 M Street. NW, Washington, DC 20037 Telephone 202-887-1100 Fax 202-887-1237 Responsible Carr A Public Commitment P.O. BOX 2424 AMHERST, MA 01004 (413) 256-3556 FAX (413) 256-3503 PERMISSION TO RELEASE DEATH CERTIFICATES FOR AN EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDY State of Arizona This document is intended to grant permission to ENSR Health Sciences, Alameda, California, to release death certificates (and data derived from them) for subjects belonging to the industry-wide vinyl chloride workers study described in the March 1, 1995 letter from Dr. Hasmukh Shah of the Chemical Manufacturers Association and co-signed by Dr. Christian Seigneur of ENSR Health Sciences. ~ It is understood that ENSR Health Sciences will release such death c rtificates (and data derived from them) ONLY to a representative of Applied Epidemiology Incorporated, of Amherst, Massachusetts, who has signed the enclosed letter to maintain the confidentiality of the death certificates and data derived from them. Name and title of person authorized to grant this permission Signature of person authorized to grant this permission Date R&S152715