Attachment 3 November 5, 1947 Letter from Carroll Wilson to Robert Stone [Includes marginal notes by ACHRE Staff] Dr. Robert S. Stone University of California Medical School The Medical Center San Francisco 22, California Dear Dr. Stone: Your letter of September 18 regarding the declassification of biological and medical papers was read at the October 11 meeting of the Advisory Committee on Biology and Medicine. The Committee re- affirmed the stand of the Medical Board of Review, which met in June, and considers the matter of human experimentation classified where the conditions cited below were not complied with. For your information, the following is quoted from the preliminary unpublished and restricted draft of the report read to the Commissioners: "Atmosphere of secrecy and suppression (illegible) one aspect of the medical work of the Commission especially vulnerable to criticism. We therefore wish to record our approval of the problem taken by the medical staff of the AEC in point of their studies of the substances dangerous to human life. We believe that no substances known to be, or suspected of being, poisonous or harmful should be given to human beings unless all of the following conditions be fully met: (a) that a reasonable hope exists that the administration of such a substance will improve the condition of the patient, (b) that the patient give his complete and informed consent in writing a similarly complete and informed consent, revocable at any time during the course of such treatment. "Were it not for the extreme value and pressure for securing reliable information on the limits of human tolerance of radioactive substances there would be no need for explicit reference to this subject. We wish to see immediate and steady increase in this gravely important subject of human tolerance of radioactivity, but we believe that since secrecy must of necessity mark much of the medical research supported by the federally- sponsored AEC, particular care must be taken in all matters that under other circumstances would be open to investigation and publicity." 1 We trust that this information will assist you in evaluating this problem. Your continued interest and support in our biological, medical, and health physics program is deeply appreciated. Sincerely yours, Carroll L. Wilson General Manager Copy No. 1 Addressee 2 Mr. Wilson 3 Mr. Derry 4 Mr. Volpe 5 Dr. Fidler 6 Medical Director 7 Major Dauer 8 File 2