DISCLAIMER

The following is a staff memorandum or other working document 
prepared for the members of the Advisory Committee on Human
Radiation Experiments.  It should not be construed as representing
the final conclusions of fact or interpretation of the issues. 
All staff memoranda are subject to revision based on further 
information and analysis.  For conclusions and recommendations of
the Advisory Committee, readers are advised to consult the Final
Report to be published in 1995.




                         STAFF MEMORANDUM

TO:       Members of the Advisory Committee on Human Radiation 
	  Experiments

FROM:     Advisory Committee Staff

DATE:     June 28, 1994

RE:       Trial Run of "Data Entry Form:  Experiments of Interest"

     As described more fully in Tab M, the staff, in consultation with 
the Subcommittees on Scope and Cold War, is developing a form for 
entering into our information system data on individual experiments.  
This information includes, for example, the names of researchers, 
dates, subjects, funding and publications.  A sample of the latest 
revision is attached.

     One part of the form asks the reviewer to categorize each 
experiment into four types, each with several subtypes for further 
precision.  On the current form, the reviewer is allowed to list a 
multiple purpose experiment under more than one type.  The types and 
subtypes are:

     radiation research (studies of the human health effects of human 
     exposure):  external, internal, intentional release, followup of 
     accidental exposure;

     therapeutic/diagnostic (studies to advance medical practice, 
     including studies of the potential of radiation as a therapeutic 
     or diagnostic agent and studies in which imaging techniques are 
     used to establish endpoints or eligibility criteria in 
     investigations of other interventions):  experimental radiation 
     therapy/diagnosis, imaging use in a non-radiation experiment

     scientific:  metabolism and dosimetry studies

     other:  (no subcategories)

     To test both the completeness and the workability of the form, a 
trial run was conducted using the 62 experiments examined by the 
subcommittee of Congressman Markey.  Of special concern was whether 
the typology  would cover all the experiments and yet be workable.

     Of the 62 experiments entered onto forms, only three were 
classified as "unknown", due to inadequate information.

     Although the purpose of the trial run was to test the adequacy of 
the form, not conduct an empirical study, Committee members might wish 
to know the breakdown of the other 59 experiments (an experiment could 
be listed under more than one type):

21=radiation research(13=external, 4=internal, 2=intentional release, 
2=accidental follow-up) 
25=therapeutic/diagnostic(23=experimental, 2=non-radiation experiment)
22=scientific(14=metabolism, 8=dosimetry)
     
     The staff is continuing to revise the form, but it appears to be 
comprehensive enough to classify the majority of experiments which the 
Committee is examining.

     Samples of several of the completed forms from the trial run are 
enclosed.  Committee members interested in seeing additional trial run 
forms should contact Anna Mastroianni.