Document mpx7ED2bMEnM63KK65yZ620oJ

/' /, -, ... Al._i1.erican Petroleum Institute 1220 l Slrte~ IJonhwe.s1 Washingtoo, DC 200054070 Tel: 202-'82-1344 FU! ZOz.liB2-11210. E-mail: I1M:ldokl@apl_org lOmllne t T_dol, Ph.O~ DABT Manager. Heallh SOI!l\CI!S Dear 8eru:ene Research Interested Stakeholder, On June 12 of this year representallves of invited companies mel 10 consider participation. in a consoroum to fund epidemiological research on benzene In Shanghai, China. You were sent an invitalion and background materials for the meetIng but were unable to attend. At that meeting an oV81Vlew of the sclenUfie protocol for !he studies was presented and there appeared to be agreement that !he proposed research was valuable and thallhe scientific approach was appropriate. At the conclusion of that, meeling, the company representatlves present agreed to determine if their companies were wiliiOf. 10 support the program in principle and to commit to proceed 10 the next slep of working out lerms of memberShip and how to address Issues related to the bloeth!cs of conducting this type of research. This second meeting of palentisl members of the consortIum has been scheduled ror August 31,2000 starting at 9:00 AM at the American Petroleum Institute headquarters In Washin9ton~ D.C. At this time we have ffiC!'llved expres~ons ofinterest in proceeding to this next step from most of the companies present at our June 12 meeting at lNhich the proposed - research program was presented. I hope that you or another representative from your company Will be able to attend the upcoming meeting. - The purpose of the August 31 meeting Is to address a mimber of issues that haVe been identified as crucial 10. membership by a number of companies. These are the basis for cost sharing and the manner In which the ethical conslderallons or working with human volunteers would be addressed. In rrom. addition, plans to solicIt membership European benzene producers and . a proposal for the infrastructure of the consortium wiU be presented for dlscussion Bnd approval. The Benzene Task Force has retained an -intemationally knOWl1 bioethlclst, Dr. Barnch Brody of Baylor University . College of Medicine (Houston. TX), 10 assist us In drafting a pfan to identjfy-and address !he bioe,thics Issues Involved in our proposed research ptan. The AiJgust 31 meeting date-was chosen to allow Or, Brody \0 be present a\ the meeUng; .Please consult with the appropriate . individuals to determine what'options for fin~nclal snaring are acceptable to your company (e.g., equal shares; membership levels based upon company' siZe; etc.) and come prepared to discuss these. We intend thaI the next step forward on fue path to consortium formation after this meeting .will be for each company to determine a level of financial support to whlch It . is willing to commit and to agree to terms of membership that will be drawn up based upon the agreemenls made at this meeting, It Is Imperalive thal we move forward with forming the C<lnsortium in order to der..Jnstrate 10 our Chinese collaborators that we are commiHed to the research and 10 provide funding for protocol development and placing of the laboratory facilities in ShanghaI.. ' MOC00044954 - J This meeting is crilicallo ronnalion of the consortium and aI/interested companies need to be represented. If you cannot attend, please arranf,B for an allama!e 'rrom your company. Due to the number of issues to be addressed the meeting will start al 9;00 AM and attendees should be prepared to stay until 3:00 PM. A follow-up mailing will be coming shortly with pre meeting attachments including a draft agenda, Dr. Brody's blo, a summary of the plan to address Ihe' bioelhlcs considerations, and additional samples of cost sharing arrangemenls from other industry consortia. Please RSVP to Paula Podhasky at API (plldhaskVP@apLorq. (202) 682.333). Sincerely. --- --"..- . - - - .._-----.,.------:----- MOC00044955