AlHC AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL HEALTH COUNCIL, INC.

1075 CENTRAL PARK AVENUE * SCARSDALE, NEW YORK 10583 + (914) 725-1492

 

 

 

October 31, 1980

   

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Dr. Joshua Lederberg G C
President Fice OF THE pres
Rockefeller University

1230 York Avenue

New York, N.Y. 10021

  

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

This is just a brief note to express my personal appreciation and that of
AIHC's other participants for a most interesting evening on Wednesday.

We found the discussion both stimulating and useful, especially in light
of the Council's ongoing efforts to require the use of better science in the
decision making process in Washington. A number of the observations made
during the discussion provided insight in terms of the general direction our
efforts could take.

For example, we have continued to advocate a position which calls for the
separation of scientific judgements from policy making on the grounds that
the assessment of whether or not data indicates a potential human risk from
a substance should not be influenced by the number of stories about it in
the Washington Post that week. Yet it was clear that a number of the par-
ticipants on Wednesday felt it may be impossible, or unwise, to separate the
scientific issues from the public policy ones.

I was a bit disappointed that we did not have more of an opportunity to wa
explore some of the ideas you or your staff may have with regard to new or
expanded programs in the University which may lead to more scientifically-
sound public policy decisions dealing with chronic health hazards. While I
indicated AIHC itself does not have very much funding available to support
such programs, we do have access to many of the key corporate officials who
increasingly realize that long term research in some of these basic areas is
as important to their companies as it is to the nation.

Again, we found the discussion stimulating and hope that there may be a
future opportunity for continued dialogues of this kind.

Sincerely yours,

Ku fl
Rsy fowd a | -
on Ronald A. Lan

Executive Director

RAL : JML

WASHINGTON OFFICE: 1612 K STREET, N. W., WASHINGTON, D. C. 20006 (202) 659-0060