Mr. HULL. You are a pathologist and you do not know Dr. Ober, director of laboratories at New York's Knickerbocker Hospital and professor of pathology at the New York Medical College? Dr. KOTIN. I know him by name. I am in no position to judge his qualifications. There are thousands of pathologists. Mr. HULL. The article continues: The report asserted flatly that cigarette smoking "increases the risk of dying from chronic bronchitis,". Is that true? Dr. KOTIN. I think chronic bronchitis can be a cause of death. Mr. HULL. Not a cause but is it true people die from chronic bronchitis? Dr. KOTIN. I would say it is a cause of death, yes. Mr. HULL. Then the article winds up by saying: It may be that smoking causes lung cancer, emphysema, and heart trouble. The Surgeon General did not prove it but by issuing a loaded report, he simply cut off important research in the field. Many people switched to cigars and pipes, but neither the Surgeon General nor the various societies standing by his side had done any real research in the effects of these cigarette substitutes. Is that a true statement? Dr. KOTIN. I cannot vouch whether the Surgeon General Mr. HULL. Is it untrue? Dr. KOTIN. Research has been done on the effects of cigarette smoking and pipe smoking, yes. Mr. HULL. What about lettuce leaves? Dr. KOTIN. As I understand, there is a laboratory investigating the smoking of lettuce leaves as a substitute for tobacco. Mr. HULL. That is all. Mr. FLOOD. Thank you, gentlemen. We will meet tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. 78-317-67-pt. 5- 44 Summary of changes 1967 enacted appropriation__. Comparative transfer within NIH accounts_ Comparative transfer to "Urban and Industrial Health" (2,408,000) and "Communicable Diseases" (8,727,000) – Unobligated balance, reserve_. 1967 total estimated obligations---. 1968 estimated obligations____. Total change.. $24, 298, 000 +383,000 -11, 135, 000 -224, 000 13, 322, 000 20, 615, 000 +7, 293, 000 Research grants.-The program increase of $3,405,000 will provide $719,000 for general research support grants, $1,000,000 for the expansion of the research centers, and $1,686,000 for an estimated additional 19 research projects in 1968. Training grants.-The increase of $1,241,000 will provide for the initiation of 17 new programs. Laboratory and clinical research.—The increase of $1,961,000 and 118 positions will provide for additional staffing and completion of the nucleus for the permanent animal colony, as well as initiation of the first phases of research in basic and applied disciplines. Review and approval of grants.-The increase of $28,000 provides 2 new positions and supporting services for the staff responsible for the review, processing and awarding of grants. Program direction.-The increase of $17,000 will provide additional operating expense support for the Director of the Division and his staff. AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION The Public Health Service Act, Title III, General Powers and Duties of Public Health Service, Part A, Research and Investigation.— "SEC. 301. The Surgeon General shall conduct in the Service, and encoruage. cooperate with, and render assistance to other appropriate public authorities, scientific institutions, and scientists in the conduct of, and promote the coordination of, research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, and studies relating to the causes, diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of physical and mental diseases and impairments of man, including water purification, sewage treatment, and pollution of lakes and streams." EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, FISCAL YEAR 1968 BUDGET REQUEST AND PROGRAM STATEMENTS The Environmental Health Sciences Research and Training Grant Program was initiated in FY 1964, within the administrative structure of the Bureau of State Services (EH). With the reorganization of the Public Health Service and the establishment of the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, those grant-supported activities which conformed to the mission of the new Division were assigned to the National Institutes of Health. Accordingly, the $11,320,000. as shown above, was transferred from the FY 1967 budget for Environmental Sciences Research and Training Grants, Bureau of State Services, (EH), Public Health Service. The extramural activities of the Division of Environmental Health Sciences have a three-fold aim. First, support is provided for numerous independent explorations of the various facets of environmental health problems. Included are fundamental and applied research, utilizing a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines, such as chemistry, pathology, toxicology, general biology, biometry, epidemiology, clinical sciences, engineering and the physical sciences. Second. opportunities are made available for specialized training in order to enlarge the Nation's supply of highly-trained research scientists in the field of environmental health. Third, grants make it possible to take advantage of university capabilities to mobilize multidisciplinary concentrations of scientific talent for research and training that requires new methodology, new instrumentation, and innovative approaches to complex problems. The research and training sponsored extramurally by the Division are directed toward quantification of hazards, elucidation of mechanisms of biological effects, and ultimate indication of possible methods for protection against hazards either through (a) establishing a need and basis for requiring removal of an agent from the environment, (b) identifying and verifying non-toxic concentrations of the agent in the environment, or (c) developing host-buffering techniques or other biologically feasible procedures for protection of the host. Grant-supported research and training are an essential means through which the Division helps to achieve a national focus on the mission of assessing actual and potential risks. These risks may be associated with exposure to environmental agents of all forms (chemical, physical, and biological) entering the host through all portals (skin, respiratory tract, and gastrointestinal system). The Division of Environmental Health Sciences supports research and research training on the phenomena associated with the source, distribution, mode of entry, and effect of environmental agents on biological systems as related to the health of human beings. The overall objective is to produce the basic knowledge and methodology for assessing the actual and potential risks associated with exposure to adventitious environmental hazards, and to determine tolerances and threshold of hazard to biological systems as a base for control policies and control technology. These funds support research activities within universities, research institutes, and other public or private nonprofit institutions. They play a key role in stimulating and expanding investigations needed to: (1) define the physical, biological, and chemical hazards of the environment; (2) determine the significance of these agents to the etiology of acute and chronic disease processes; (3) develop new or improved methodology for analysis and characterization of the biological effects of known and potentially hazardous agents; and, (4) conduct epidemiological studies to test ideas on the relationship of environmental factors to disease in man, particularly in the ranges of low-level exposure involving long-term and cumulative effects as end points. Support is provided for research which ranges from smaller and circumscribed projects to broad and composite programs that integrate the research skills and efforts of investigators with diverse training. Grants also make possible the establishment of Centers which are university-based resources for both research and training and are embedded in the substance of graduate education. Their programs embrace numerous facets of environmental health researchclinical and nonclinical activity, routine work and highly original studies, investigations by individuals and by teams, field studies, etc. They also permit advanced training in environmental health research in a depth that is relatively unavailable elsewhere. Center grants may provide for common-use equipment, special laboratories, and salaries for a core group of scientists and administrative personnel. Individual studies are generally supported by funds from other sources. PROGRAM PLANS IN 1967 AND 1968 The FY 1967 budget of $4,516,000 for research projects provides for the continuing support of 37 ongoing investigations and for the activation of approximately 33 new projects. The net increase of $1,686,000 for FY 1968 will be used as follows: $1,273,000 for increased costs of noncompeting continuations and support of 13 additional noncompeting continuations; $405,000 for 6 competing projects and 1 supplemental request. The $719,000 is for the program commitment to the General Research Support Program. The research supported by these grants will continue to emphasize mechanisms of toxic action in mammalian systems, biologic characterization of environmental agents, and synergistic effects of multiple factors. Special interest will be given to problem areas of tobacco and health, pesticides, heavy metals and trace elements, mycotoxins and other natural toxins, synthetic organic compounds, and other agents of environmental media which represent actual or potential health hazards. During 1967, funds available for Centers will allow for continued support of 6 ongoing programs and the establishment of 2 new programs. The net increase of $1,000,000 in FY 1968 will support an expanded operation of 4 ongoing programs and will permit the activation of 3 or 4 additional Centers. |