The National Academies’AFHS Disposition study

Status–June 2005

David A. Butler, Ph.D.Senior Program Officer

Institute of Medicine

Elements being addressed in the National Academies study

(1) The scientific merit of retaining and maintaining the medical records, other study data, and laboratory specimens collected in the course of the Air Force Health Study after the currently-scheduled termination date of the study in 2006.

Elements being addressed in the National Academies study

(2) Whether or not any obstacles exist to retaining and maintaining the medical records, other study data, and laboratory specimens referred to in paragraph (1), including privacy concerns.

Elements being addressed in the National Academies study

(3) The advisability of providing independent oversight of the medical records, other study data, and laboratory specimens referred to in paragraph (1), and of any further study of such records, data, and specimens, and, if so, the mechanism for providing such oversight.

Elements being addressed in the National Academies study

(4) The advisability of extending the Air Force Health Study, including the potential value and relevance of extending the study, the potential cost of extending the study, and the Federal or non-Federal entity best suited to continue the study if extended.

Elements being addressed in the National Academies study

(5) The advisability of making the laboratory specimens of the Air Force Health Study available for independent research, including the potential value and relevance of such research, and the potential cost of such research.

Committee on the Disposition of the Air Force Health Study

David J. Tollerud, MD, MPH (Chair)University of Louisville

Dan G. Blazer, MD, PhD Susan E. Hankinson, ScD Duke University Harvard University

Ellen Wright Clayton, MD, JD David A Kalman, PhD Vanderbilt University University of Washington

Manning Feinleib, MD, DrPH DeJuran Richardson, PhD The Johns Hopkins University Lake Forest College

Mark S. Goldberg, PhD Regina M. Santella, PhD McGill University (Canada) Columbia University

Consultant to the committee

Victor PontesChanning Laboratory (Harvard University)

AFHS Disposition studystatus

• 1st committee meeting — 4,5 February (DC)– charge from the sponsor (Department of Veterans Affairs)– briefing from AFHS PI Dr. Joel Michalek

• 2nd committee meeting and workshop — 14,15 April (DC)

• Subcommittee site visit to AFHS research facilities — 27 May (San Antonio, TX)

AFHS Disposition study April 2005 workshop speakers

Mark A. Brown, PhD Michael Stoto, PhD US Department of Veterans Affairs Ranch Hand Advisory Committee

Albert Kingman, PhD Teri Manolio, MD, PhD NIDCR, NIH NHLBI, NIH

Richard M. Suzman, PhD Marie Haring Sweeney, PhD NIA, NIH US Embassy, Hanoi, Vietnam

Mary Ellen McCarthy Shannon Middleton House Veterans Affairs Committee The American Legion

Rick Weidman Vietnam Veterans of America

AFHS Disposition studyfuture plans

• 3rd committee meeting and mini-workshop — 20,21 June (DC)

– mini-workshop will address data access and privacy issues– speakers TBA

• Report writing — summer 2005

• Report release — late fall 2005

Learning more about National Academies studies

• Information on on-going studies (via the Current Projects web site): http://www.national-academies.org[search keyword AFHS]

•Full text of National Academies reports:http://www.nap.edu

veterans.iom.edu