Document gaEZe5k1prz6xNRLrBpEJoeKL

850 Michigan Avenue, ^ m b u s , Ohio 43215 (614) 228-3851 fOHIO LUNG ASSOCIATION December 4, 1973 Hearing Clerk Food and Drug Administration 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, Maryland 20852 Gentlemen: We wish to submit comments with respect to reduction of asbestos contamination in Food and Drugs, reference Federal Register, September 28, page 27076. The weight of evidence to date is that all previous levels of airborne asbestos fibers are too permissive for adequate health protection. This includes the present standards of OSHA which should be reduced from five to two and shortly thereafter to zero. Certainly the only practical level for an acknowledged carcinogen is "zero". The evidence for a zero level for asbestos fibers injected or swallowed is slowly being accomulated, largely as a byproduct of investigations of airborne asbestos. The only practical protection by regulation is to eliminate asbestos contamination by aprays, injectibles, or oral drugs until solid evidence establishes a "safe" threshold and suggests a further margin of safely. DT:05no Duncan Thorp Assistant Executive Director 75P OoUc>( Form erly the Ohio T u b ercu lo sis and R espiratory D ise a se A sso ciatio n <L /