DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

BETHESDA. MD. 20014

AREA CODE 301

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NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 7

TEL: 656-4000

December 7, 1967

In reply refer to:
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Dr. Joshua Lederberg Rea aa. Daf ol ~ Poe con afypoeks:

Professor of Genetics « of +402
Stanford University School Arf > Paw Bea aget LD ae a ~~ a 5

of Medicine

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Stanford Medical Center ’ 2 ye
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Palo Alto, California 94304 Chat Cpe habia etka, a ee

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Dear Josh: Statrehien “8 Vie Had tA teks.
This year the NINDB, along with the other Institutes of the NIT op a
is experiencing a serious limitation of the funds available for fey syed

research and research training. We anticipate that at the end of
this year, given the President's budget, there will remain unpaid -?%5 U.S.
approved applications in excess of $6 million. I have just learned ard
that, at best, an additional $2 million restriction is likely to be " ad
imposed on our expenditures, It is my impression that others of ier
the National Institutes of Health will experience even more severe
restrictions of funds, mre

 
 

ot eeiten. A

I recently attended an informal talk by a member of the President's
Office of Science and Technology, whose impression is that the
restrictions of research expenditures by the U.S. Government will
become worse, and that changes in the U.S. commitment in Viet Nam oy
are not the major issue and would not significantly influence this

 

trend, ‘| t

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According to his views, the negativity of the Congress this year is j Ay
simply a reflection of needed emerging attitudes on the part of the \ 4
public which has become disillusioned with foreign aid, commerce, __ \ \ ss
economic opportunity, and medical research. In his views, the NIH it A, ey
and the academic community have failed to inform the public of the Si

crucial role that the Federal Government and the National Institutes
of Health are playing in a major program to meet a National need.

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It is these considerations which are causing me serious concern and oe v
which have induced me to write to you regarding your very interesting ~ ™ 8S
and informative article on birthweight. I am enclosing a copy. nS a
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Frankly, I was disappointed that in this article you did not take Ry
advantage of the several opportunities to give the Federal Government ree z
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credit for its efforts in the area of birthweight research. I am
sure that your failure to do so was an oversight,

Specifically, you write that, '... until statistical studies...
showed that certain forms of blindness...were caused by excessive
exposure to oxygen..." To my knowledge the only statistical studies
which documented this fact were those developed, organized, and
supported by the NINDB. This undertaking represented a single
contribution by the Institutes to the Nation's health.

You further report that "Special nurseries for research on prema-
turity have been established at many university hospitals." It is
my impression that these are largely supported by the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Certainly their
success will depend upon a continued infusion of finances from the
Federal Government,

Finally you refer to the fact that Professor Norman Kretchmer has
established a center at Stanford. It is my impression that the
center at Stanford represents an interesting, cooperative undertaking
involving Stanford University, the Kennedy Foundation, and various
elements of the Federal Government,

You may properly respond that your responsibility in this column is
to prepare a scientific report to the public, and that concern is
only with the facts, I would like to suggest, however, that it is
just as important to the public, and more important to science, for
the public to be aware of the fact that the studies which you have
described are made possible through their contribution to the
national research effort. In fact, if the present trend continues
there will be less and less in the way of research and research
accomplishments for us to talk about, It is later than you think,

Sincerely yours,

Were

Richard L, Masland, M.D.
Director, National Institute of

Neurological Diseases and Blindness

Enclosure