Review of NASA’s Evidence
Reports on Human Health Risks
2016 LETTER REPORT
Committee to Review NASA’s Evidence Reports
on Human Health Risks
Board on Health Sciences Policy
Carol E. H. Scott-Conner, Daniel R. Masys, and
Catharyn T. Liverman, Editors
Health and Medicine Division
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, DC
www.nap.edu
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This project was supported by Contract NNH13CK19B, Task Order NNH13CK20D, between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-45122-2
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-45122-1
Digital Object Identifier: 10.17226/23678
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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. Review of NASA’s evidence reports on human health risks: 2016 letter report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23678.
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COMMITTEE TO REVIEW NASA’S EVIDENCE REPORTS ON HUMAN HEALTH RISKS
CAROL E. H. SCOTT-CONNER (Chair), University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City
DANIEL R. MASYS (Vice Chair), University of Washington, Seattle
SUSAN M. BAILEY, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
SUSAN A. BLOOMFIELD, Texas A&M University, College Station
TORIN K. CLARK, University of Colorado Boulder
ANDREW P. FEINBERG, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
NAMNI GOEL, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
TOM K. HEI, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
JAMES A. PAWELCZYK, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
ROBERT L. SATCHER, JR., University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
MURRAY B. STEIN, University of California, San Diego, and Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System
RONALD E. TURNER, ANSER, Arlington, VA
BILL J. YATES, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA
Health and Medicine Division Staff
CATHARYN T. LIVERMAN, Study Director
JUDITH L. ESTEP, Program Associate
ANDREW M. POPE, Director, Board on Health Sciences Policy
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Reviewers
This report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:
Suzanne T. Bell, DePaul University
Marjan Boerma, University of Arkansas
Thomas Britt, Clemson University
Helen S. Cohen, Baylor College of Medicine
David F. Dinges, University of Pennsylvania
Harry C. Holloway, Jr., Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Lawrence A. Palinkas, University of Southern California
Michael M. Weil, Colorado State University
Jacqueline P. Williams, University of Rochester
Gayle E. Woloschak, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Laurence R. Young, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Marcia J. Rieke, University of Arizona. She was responsible for making certain
that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.
Contents
COMMITTEE’S TASK AND OVERARCHING ISSUES
THE NASA HUMAN RESEARCH ROADMAP
RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND OTHER DEGENERATIVE TISSUE EFFECTS FROM RADIATION EXPOSURE
RISK OF RADIATION CARCINOGENESIS
RISK OF ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROMES DUE TO SOLAR PARTICLE EVENTS
RISK OF ACUTE AND LATE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM EFFECTS FROM RADIATION EXPOSURE
RISK OF ADVERSE COGNITIVE OR BEHAVIORAL CONDITIONS AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS