National Academies Press: OpenBook
« Previous: CONTENTS
Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×

The Committee on Toxicology

50 YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC SERVICE TO THE NATION

Toxicology plays a major role in the assessment of health and environmental hazards associated with the many substances that are used or encountered by military personnel and the general public. More than 75,000 chemical substances are currently manufactured or used in commerce in the United States, and almost 1,000 more are introduced into commerce each year. Many laws have been enacted that require government agencies —primarily the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—to protect the general population and workers from toxic exposures to chemical substances in the environment and the workplace. The Department of Defense (DOD), which employs millions of military personnel and civilians, has the responsibility to protect not only active military personnel, but also their families and other civilians who live or work on or near military installations.

Toxicological issues encountered by the US military can be traced back at least to World War I, when Germany launched chemical-warfare attacks on Allied troops. Gas poisoning in World War I resulted in 100,000 deaths and over 1 million casualties. Toxicological issues in the military also rapidly expanded to occupational environments. During World War I, nearly 230 fatalities per billion pounds of manufactured explosives were attributed to exposures to TNT and nitrous gases in US munitions plants.

Military personnel are at times exposed to new chemicals used in vehicles, equipment, and clothing. Concerns often arise about the acute and chronic toxicity associated with the use of those chemicals and the materials that contain

Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×

them. In response to those concerns, the military has established toxicology laboratories for the Army, Navy, and Air Force to generate data on the toxicity of chemical-warfare agents, other munitions, pesticides, jet fuels, submarine pollutants, and many other substances used or encountered by the military. In addition to generating data in laboratories, the armed forces have often asked the National Research Council (NRC) to conduct independent toxicity and health risk assessments of chemicals used by the military.

In response to many requests from the DOD for toxicological studies, the NRC in 1947 convened the Committee on Toxicology (COT)—with expertise in toxicology, epidemiology, occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, and chemistry—to provide scientific information and expert advice on difficult questions involving toxicology and risk assessment. One of the oldest scientific bodies of the NRC, COT was created to be a US counterpart of the Commission de Toxicologie of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and to represent the US professions of toxicology and industrial hygiene in international forums. However, the need for COT's services in many important military and domestic situations has long been recognized, especially by the armed forces, and federal agencies have requested COT's assistance many times in tackling complex scientific issues. Such civilian agencies as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), EPA, the Coast Guard, CPSC, OSHA, and the Department of Energy have sought advice from COT on matters related to toxicology and risk assessment.

COT subcommittee meeting.

Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×

This pamphlet highlights some of the work of COT over its first 5 decades of service (1947-1997) and describes some of COT's recent and current activities.

BACKGROUND

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) was chartered by the US Congress and President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 as a private institution dedicated to furthering science and technology and providing independent, authoritative scientific and technical advice to the federal government. NAS and its associated organizations—the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), and the NRC—constitute what has been called the “Supreme Court of Science” and the most important independent expert advisory mechanism for science and technology relevant to public policy in the United States and perhaps in the world.

The NRC is the principal operating agency of NAS and NAE and conducts most of the studies done in their names on scientific and technical matters of national importance. The studies are carried out primarily by committees, panels, and working groups consisting of distinguished experts chosen by the NRC in science, engineering, medicine, and other disciplines from universities and other institutions. About 200 study reports are prepared and distributed by the NRC each year. The reports are provided to the government and available to the public through the National Academy Press (800-624-6242) or the COT Toxicology Information Center (202-334-2387). Recent reports are also available through the web site of the National Academy Press (http://www.nap.edu/readingroom).

MISSION

COT's mission is to conduct independent, authoritative studies on issues in toxicology for the Army, Navy, Air Force, NASA, EPA, and other governmental agencies. COT's specific responsibilities to its sponsoring agencies are the following:

  • To serve as an independent body to assess or adjudicate controversial problems in toxicology.

  • To respond to scientific questions from sponsoring agencies.

  • To assess contaminant limits for emergency and continuous exposures.

  • To assess standards and procedures for the safe handling, use, and disposal of hazardous materials.

  • To assess precautionary and protective measures for exposures of personnel to hazardous substances.

Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
  • To assess protocols for monitoring of hazardous substances and surveillance of exposed personnel.

  • To assess techniques and substances for hazardous substance treatment and decontamination.

  • To recommend research on toxicological and other scientific issues.

  • To evaluate programs or studies conducted by sponsoring agencies and to assist in interpreting the results of the studies.

COT reports, like all other NRC reports, provide independent evaluations of scientific information, identification of data gaps, and technical recommendations. All COT reports are advisory. They do not represent government standards, and they do not contain judgments regarding the acceptability of health risks.

STUDY PROCEDURES AND REPORT REVIEW

COT's primary output is in the form of independent, peer-reviewed, consensus reports to government agencies in response to requests for scientific information or evaluations. When an agency requests a study, COT develops a project plan and seeks approval from its parent organizations within the Academy complex: the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, the Commission on Life Sciences, and the NRC Governing Board. Once approval is obtained and financial support by sponsors is arranged, COT and the NRC identify renowned scientists with appropriate expertise to undertake the project. The scientists review the literature and other pertinent materials and prepare a consensus report. Before the report is released, it is edited and submitted to rigorous external peer review according to procedures of the NRC Report Review Committee. Because COT reports carry the weight and the authority of the NRC, report review is an integral part of producing a COT report. Critical and careful review helps to ensure that the highest scientific and expository standards are met.

SPONSORING AGENCIES

In its early days, COT's studies and reports were confined to the needs of its original sponsors—the US armed services and the former Atomic Energy Commission. Most of COT's work was performed for the Army, Navy, and Air Force, all of which needed information on potential health hazards to military and civilian personnel from exposures to substances ranging from fuels and explosives to sunscreens and pesticides.

Since then, COT has accepted requests for assistance from other government agencies (see shaded box). The reports for civilian agencies address many of the same kinds of topics as those produced for the armed services.

Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
COT Sponsors

Primary Sponsors:

Army

Navy

Air Force

Other Sponsors:

Atomic Energy Commission (later part of the Department of Energy)

Coast Guard

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Department of Energy

Environmental Protection Agency

General Services Administration

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

MEMBERSHIP

COT is composed of about 20 members who are experts in relevant sciences and are appointed for 3-year terms by the NRC. COT's list of distinguished past and present members (see shaded boxes) include national and international leaders in such fields as toxicology, epidemiology, occupational health, pharmacology, pathology, biochemistry, chemistry, industrial hygiene, biostatistics, and risk assessment. Members are chosen from universities and other institutions for

Chairs of COT

H.H. Schrenk

1947-1950

Lawrence T. Fairhall

1951-1952

Harold C. Hodge

1952-1958

Norton Nelson

1958-1961

Arnold J. Lehman

1961-1968

William L. Sutton

1968-1969

Herbert E. Stokinger

1969-1972

Bertram D. Dinman

1972-1977

Joseph F. Borzelleca

1977-1981

Roger O. McClellan

1982-1987

John Doull

1987-1992

Rogene F. Henderson

1992

Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×

Current and Past Members of COT

Alarie, Yves

1974-1978

Greenwald, Peter

1981-1983

Reinhardt, Charles F.

1972-1980

Amdur, Mary O.

1975-1977

Grice, Harold C.

1975-1978

Richardson, A.P.

1951-1952

Angle, Carol

1985-1988

Griesemer, Richard

1983-1986

Rodricks, Joseph V.

1977-1982

Axelrod, David

1977-1980

Guzelian, Philip

1986-1989

Rowe, Verald K.

1964-1972

Bates, Richard R.

1982-1984

Halperin, William

1983-1989

Schrenk, H.H.

1947-1952

Bell, Hays

1988-1994

1995-

Shaffer, C. Boyd

1969-1975

Bingham, Eula

1986-1992

Hamblin, D.O.

1947-1952

Shank, Ronald C.

1977-1983

Borzelleca, Joseph F.

1975-1981

Heath, Clark

1983-1986

Shy, Carl M.

1979-1981

Buck, Germaine M.

1995-

Henderson, Rogene

1985-

Silverman, Leslie

1952-1957

Burns, John J., Jr.

1975-1976

Higgins, Ian T.

1977-1982

Sipes, I. Glenn

1987-1990

Hine, Charles H.

1952-1957

Smuckler, Edward A.

1980-1983

Carlson, Gary P.

1996-

Hites, Ronald

1991-1993

Smyth, Henry F., Jr.

1964-1970

Carter, Dean

1991-1994

Hodge, Harold C.

1950-1958

Snyder, Robert

1980-1984

Cory-Slechta,

1991-1997

Deborah

1993-1996

Irish, D.D.

1947-1951

Spanggord, Ronald J.

1982-1985

Cox, Colonel

Spencer, Peter S.

1979-1984

Wesley C.

1950-1953

Jones, Warren H.

1977-1979

Standaert, Frank G.

1971-1977

Sterner, James H.

1947-1952

Dagirmanjian, Rose

1984-1987

Karol, Meryl

1984-1987

1971-1973

Dean, Jack H.

1996-

Kerkvliet, Nancy

1987-1990

Stewart, Richard D.

1971-1974

Dinman, Bertram D.

1967-1977

Kilgore, Wendell W.

1979-1982

Stokinger, Richard D.

1952-1975

Doull, John

1987-1993

Kimmel, Carole

1988-1994

Sutton, William L.

1964-1969

Driscoll, Kevin E.

1995-

Klaassen, Curtis

1988-1991

DuBois, Arthur B.

1967-1976

Kodell, Ralph

1987-1993

Tardiff, Robert G.

1975-1977

Koelle, George B.

1995-1997

Taylor, Kathleen

1985-1991

Eckardt, R.E.

1969-1971

Koller, Loren

1990-1996

Taylor, Robert

1986-1989

Ecobichon, Donald

1981-1984

Krewski, Daniel

1987-1990

Tephly, Thomas

1984-1989

Eisenbud, Merril

1952-1962

1995-

Tepper, Lloyd B.

1982-1985

Terhaar, Clarence J.

1982-1985

Fairhall, Lawrence T.

1947-1952

Larson, Paul S.

1951-1952

Fassett, David W.

1957-1962

Lehman, Arnold J.

1950-1970

Van Winkle, W., Jr.

1951-1952

Faustman, Elaine

1994-1997

Feigley, Charles

1989-

Maibach, Howard I.

1979-1984

Wagner, Bernard

1986-1993

Fishbein, Lawrence

1979-1981

Mandel, H. George

1977-1982

1995-

Ford, Richard

1953-1957

Maynard, Elliott A.

1958-1961

Waitt, General Alden H.

1947-1948

Fowler, Bruce

1988-1991

McClellan, Roger O.

1979-1987

Walker, Bailus

1990-1996

Frederick, William G.

1962-1964

McConnell,

Watanabe, Philip G.

1977-1982

Friess, Seymour L.

1967-1976

Ernest E.

1988-1994

Watson, Annetta

1994-1997

McKone, Thomas E.

1995-

Whittenberger, James L.

1958-1961

Gardner, Donald

1988-1997

Medinsky, Michele

1992-

Witschi, Hanspeter

1991-1997

Gaulden, Mary

1987-1993

Menzer, Robert E.

1982-1985

Wogan, Gerald

1992-1995

Gaylor, David W.

1981-1987

Wood, Colonel John

1950-1951

1993-

Nay, Carl A.

1958-1961

Generoso, Walderico

1989-1995

Nelson, Norton

1952-1961

Yant, William P.

1947-1951

Gerarde, Horace W.

1958-1961

Norton, Stata E.

1977-1979

Yost, Garold

1991-1997

1962-1966

Graham, Judith A.

1996-

O'Donoghue, John

1994-

Zapp, John A., Jr.

1952-1964

Greaves, Ian

1989-

Green, Sidney

1993-

Peck, Harold M.

1969-1976

Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×

their professional qualifications, judgment, and integrity. They bring to the committee's deliberations the expertise that enables authoritative and thorough examination of the problems presented. The members of COT have included current and past presidents of the Society of Toxicology, the Teratology Society, and the Society for Risk Analysis. COT's current roster includes members of NAS, advisers to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and members of the science advisory boards of the National Institutes of Health and EPA.

Most of the work of COT is carried out by its various subcommittees, panels, and working groups, assisted by staff professionals. Like the members of all other NRC study committees and boards, all members of COT and its subsidiary groups serve without monetary compensation. In a typical year, the members of COT and its subcommittees and panels donate more than 10,000 hours in service to the nation. Additional experts and consultants are called on to augment these groups when special expertise is needed.

National Research Council Staff

Paul Gilman

Executive Director

Commission on Life Sciences

Kathy Iverson

Manager

Toxicology Information Center

James J. Reisa

Director

Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology

Ruth E. Crossgrove

Publications Manager

Norman Grossblatt

Editor

Carol A. Maczka

Program Director

Toxicology and Risk Assessment

Catherine M. Kubik

Senior Program Assistant

Kulbir S. Bakshi

Program Director

Committee on Toxicology

Linda V. Leonard

Senior Program Assistant

Margaret McVey

Program Officer

Lucy Fusco

Project Assistant

Susan N.J. Pang

Research Associate

Abigail Stack

Research Associate

Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
This page in the original is blank.
Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
Page 1
Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
Page 2
Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
Page 3
Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
Page 4
Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
Page 5
Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
Page 6
Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
Page 7
Suggested Citation:"THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY." National Research Council. 1997. The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9487.
×
Page 8
Next: THE WORK OF COT »
The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years 1947-1997 Get This Book
×
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!