JFFICIAL USE ONL. -~2The 116th meeting of the Advisory Committee for Biology and Medicine was held ar AEC Headquarters, Germantown, Maryland on January 13, and at the AEC "H" Street Office, Washington, D. C. on January 14, 1967. Comrittee members present were Drs. Earl L. Green (Chairman), Philip P. Cohen Wice Chairman), William F. Bale, Robert D. Moseley, Morell B. Russell, Harvey M. Patt (Scientific Secretary) and Miss Rosemary Elmo (Executive Secretary). Dr. Lemuel C. McGee was unable to attend. Drs. A, J. Haagen-Smit and J. B. Wyngaarden, whose appointments to serve on the ACBM are not yet effective, were able to attend this meeting since the discussions were unclassified. Dr. Charles L. Dunham, Director, Division of Biology and Medicine, and various members of his staff, were also present. The meeting was opened by Dr. Dunham with some introductory remarks about the scope of AEC-supported basic research and the question of an appropriate emphasis on offsite and onsite programs. This was followed by Dr. Claus' discussion of new directives for a cost-benefit analysis by all government agencies, The cost~benefit analysis represents the central theme of an integrated planning-programming-budgeting system (PPBS). A precise identification of DBM goals and objectives will apparently be required. Dr. Totter reviewed the DBM objectives as presently formulated and the relevancy of their basic and applied aspects. He also raised the perennial question as to whether onsite activities should take precedence over offsite and whether one national laboratory should be promoted at the expense of another. The ACBM expressed the opinion that a continuing look at goals was essential and that programs should be examined from the viewpoint of uniqueness as well as relevance. It was emphasized that basic research should not be considered as a separate entity but rather as an integral and necessary part of the events leading to the achievement of any goal. The Committee felt that it was important to maintain an appropriate balance of the several compenents of the DBM program in order to previde a desirable flexibility. Each case should be judged on its merits. There is an implicit challenge in PPBS which requires a careful evaluation of the relaticn of science to seciety. In other presentations, the ACBM was informed of the status of the feod irradiation program by Drs. Edington and Whitehair and was briefed on the high altitude sampling program and the appropriateness cf continuing the program beyond FY 68 or 69, by Messrs. Holland and Marlow, (DBM) and Dr. Kosta Telegadas (ESSA). Apropos of the latter, the ACBM suggested that it might be fruitful toe arrange a conference of representatives of interested agencies to evaluate future needs and other avenues for support. The Committee was pleased to learn from Dr. Bruner and others and Dr, Frank Hastings (NHI-NIH) of the from AEC, interest of the AEC and the NIH in OFFICIAL USE ONLY