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Report of the Board of Regents Long Range Plan National Library ofMedicine Improving Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Services NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NationalLibraryofMedicine National Library ofMedicine Catalogingin Publication National Library ofMedicine (U.S.). Board ofRegents Improvin—gtoxicology and environmentalhealthinformation services : report ofthe Board of Regents. [Bethesda, Md.] U.S. Dept. ofHealth and Human Services, Public Health : Service, National Institutes ofHealth [1993] "National Library ofMedicine longrange plan." "September 1993." 1. National LibraryofMedicine (U.S.). Toxicology Information Program. 2. Environmental Health 3. Information Services 4. Information Systems 5. Toxicology I. Title II. Title: National Library ofMedicine longrange plan 02NLM: Z 675.M4 N278ia 1993 Cit. No. 9305636 Report of the Board ofRegents Long Range Plan National Library ofMedicine Improving Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Services U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services September 1993 PublicHealthService NationalInstitutesofHealth NIHPublicationNo. 94-3486 Planning Panel on Toxicology and Environmental Health Co-Chairs PatriciaA. Buffler, Ph.D., M.P.H. EdwardN. Brandt, M.D., Ph.D. Dean, School ofPublic Health Executive Dean UniversityofCalifornia, Berkeley College ofMedicine MA UniversityofOklahoma Robert Lee Chartrand, Senior Specialistin Information Policy Gilbert S. Omenn, M.D., Ph.D. and Technology (emeritus) Dean, School ofPublic Health Congressional Research Service and CommunityMedicine LibraryofCongress University ofWashington Barbara Culliton DeputyEditor Members Nature Beverly E. Allen, M.L.S. (Board ofRegents Liaision) Ellen J. Flannery, Esq. Director, Multi-Media Center Covington and Burling Morehouse School ofMedicine Washington, D.C. Elaine C.Alligood, M.L.S. Barry R. Friedlander, M.D. Assistant LibrarianforAccess Director, Medical and Health Sciences Countway Library ofMedicine Monsanto Company Harvard UniversityMedical School RichardA. Griesemer, D.V.M., Ph.D. Elizabeth L. Anderson, Ph.D. Director, Division ofToxicology President Research and Testing Clement International Corporation National Institute ofEnvironmental Health Sciences HenryAnderson, M.D. Section Chief, Environmental F. GrayHandley, M.P.H. Chronic Disease Epidemiology Chief, International Coordination and Bureau ofCommunityHealth and Liaison Branch Prevention, Division ofHealth Fogarty International Center State ofWisconsin National Institutes ofHealth Clark Bledsoe, B.S. Glenn E. Haughie, M.D. Deputy Director IBM DirectorofHealth Jefferson County [KY] Health Department IBM Corporation CarlosBowman, Ph.D. Jan W. Huismans, Ph.D. ProjectDirector (emeritus) Director, International Register of Technical Information Services PotentiallyToxic Chemicals Dow Chemical Company UnitedNations EnvironmentProgramme EdwardBresnick, Ph.D. Barry L. Johnson, Ph.D. Chair andJames C. ChilcottProfessor AssistantAdministrator Department ofPharmacology and Toxicology AgencyforToxic Substances and DartmouthMedical School Disease Registry PeterN. Britton, Ph.D. Director, Community Environmental Responsibility Program Johnson & Johnson 2 LesterLave, Ph.D. Harry Teitelbaum, Ph.D. ProfessorofEconomics RiskAnalysis Branch Graduate School of Office ofToxic Substances IndustrialAdministration Environmental ProtectionAgency Carnegie MellonUniversity Bailus Walker, Ph.D. Louise W. Lewis, M.S. Dean, College ofPublic Health Technical Information Officer UniversityofOklahoma AgencyforToxic Substances and Disease Registry CynthiaWhitehead, J.D. Environment PolicyEurope MortimerL. Mendelsohn, M.D., Ph.D. RadiationEffects Research Foundation RonaldL. Wigington, Ph.D. DirectorofInformation Technology RobertE. Menzer, Ph.D. American Chemical Society Office ofExploratoryResearch Environmental ProtectionAgency Vernon E. Wilson, M.D. Vice PresidentforMedicalAffairs (emeritus) RandolphA. Miller, M.D. VanderbiltUniversity Associate ProfessorofMedicine Section onMedical Informatics James B. Wyngaarden, M.D. UniversityofPittsburgh School ofMedicine Foreign Secretary NationalAcademyofSciences Lawrence G. Mondschein, Ph.D. Institute ofMedicine Manager, Chemical Information and Control Johnson & Johnson JohnF.Young, Ph.D. Director, Division ofReproductive and RichardNiemeier, Ph.D. Developmental Toxicology Division Director, Standards Development National CenterforToxicological Research and TechnologyTransfer Food and DrugAdministration National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Kenneth Olden, Ph.D. NLMStaff Director Elliot R. Siegel, Ph.D. National Institute ofEnvironmental Associate DirectorforHealth Information Health Sciences Programs Development Jongsei Park, Ph.D. Susan P. Buyer, M.A. Director, DopingControl Center Office ofPlanningandAnalysis Korea Institute ofScience andTechnology Office ofHealth Information Programs Development David P. Rail, M.D., Ph.D. Panel Executive Secretary Director Emeritus National Institute ofEnvironmental HenryM. Kissman, Ph.D. Health Sciences Associate Director Specialized Information Services Milagro Rodriguez Director, Special Projects James Ferguson, M.D. Workplace Health Fund Specialized Information Services 3 NLM Board ofRegents Chair H.KennethWalker,M.D. 1991-1992 Professor ofMedicine RuthM. Davis, Ph.D. ' Emory University School ofMedicine President The PymatuningGroup, Inc. ExOfficioMembers Primary Chair JamesH. Billington, D. Phil. 1992-1993 Librarian ofCongress Lawrence H. Cohn, M.D. ChiefofCardiac Surgery MaryE. Clutter, Ph.D. Department ofSurgery Assistant DirectorforBiological, Brigham andWomen's Hospital Behavioral, and Social Sciences National ScienceFoundation Members BeverlyE. Allen, M.L.S. Donald F. Hagen,Vice Adm., MC, USN Director, Multi-Media Center Surgeon General, Department ofthe Navy Morehouse School ofMedicine James W. Holsinger, Jr., M.D. RachaelK. Anderson, M.S. ChiefMedicalDirector Director, Health Sciences CenterLibrary Veterans Health Services and University ofArizona ResearchAdministration Department ofVeteransAffairs Naomi C. Booker Chair and President, Marketingand Joseph H. Howard ManagementInnovations, Inc. Director, NationalAgriculturalLibrary U.S. Department ofAgriculture RonaldE. Cape, Ph.D. Chairman, Cetus Corporation FrankF. Ledford, Jr., Lt. Gen., MC, USA Surgeon General, Department oftheArmy Lawrence J. DeNardis, Ph.D. President, University ofNewHaven Antonio C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H. Surgeon General, U. S. PublicHealth Service RobertJ. Joynt, M.D., Ph.D. VicePresident andVice Provost AlexanderM. Sloan, Lt. Gen., USAF, MC forHealthAffairs Surgeon General, Department ofthe UniversityofRochester School of Air Force Medicine andDentistry JamesA. Zimble, M.D. Robert E. Kahn, Ph.D. President, Uniformed Services President, Corporationfor University ofthe Health Sciences National Research Initiatives F. Edward Hebert School ofMedicine CarolM. Newton, M.D., Ph.D. Alternates Professor, Department ofBiomathematics Charles N. Brownstein, Ph.D. University ofCalifornia, Los Angeles Director, Directorate for Computer and Information Science & Engineering AlvyRay Smith, Ph.D. National Science Foundation President, Altamira Software Co. Wendy Carter M.L.S. , Jeanne Spurlock, M.D. Assistant for LibraryPrograms Washington, D.C. Department ofVeterans Affairs 4 Emmanuel G. Cassimatis, Col., MC, USA KathleenA. McCormick, R.N., Ph.D. Chief, Graduate Medical Education Branch Director, Office ofthe Forumfor U.S. ArmyHealthProfessional Quality andEffectiveness SupportAgency inHealth Care HowardE. Fauver, Jr., Col.,MC,USA JacquelineMorgan, Col.,USAF,MCN Chief, Graduate Medical Chief, Professional Services, Education Branch ProfessionalAffairs and U.S. ArmyHealthProfessional QualityAssurance SupportAgency DepartmentoftheAirForce Harry C.Holloway,M.D. RichardE. Rowberg, Ph.D. DeputyDean, Uniformed Services Chief, Science PolicyResearch Division Universityofthe Health Sciences Congressional Research Service F. EdwardHebert School ofMedicine Library ofCongress David G. Kemp, Capt., MC, USN Commanding Officer,NavalHealth Sciences, Education and TrainingCommand Department ofthe Navy 5 . Foreword One ofthe lessons we seem destined to tion about toxicology and environmental relearn again and again is that institu- health; the commonalities and tions, whether in the public or private differences for such groups as health sector, must successfully manage change. care providers, legislators, regulators, Unless there is a continuing commitment scientists, emergency response teams, to renewal, organizations ossify and and the public; the adequacy ofexisting gradually become irrelevant in the information resources for present and contemporary world. Newspapers report foreseeable future information needs of almost daily about organizations that these groups; the appropriate focus of have failed to learn this simple lesson. NLM's efforts in this area; how NLM might improve access to its information Through the adoption ofa Long Range services; and what new opportunities NLM Plan in 1987*, the National Library of should be addressed by (including Medicine is meetingits commitment to opportunities stemming from new managing change. The Plan is a living scientific discoveries, opportunities that NLM document that guides decision- are technology driven, opportunities making. It wisely predicted that certain resultingfrom the emergence ofnew areas would need special attention in the classes ofusers, and opportunities that future, and, under the direction of call for new collaborations with govern- the Board ofRegents, the Library sub- ment agencies or other organizations). sequently brought together panels to look at outreach and medical imaging. The Board, on October 2, 1992, unanimously approved the report for One ofthe goals for the Library identi- incorporation in the Long Range Plan fied in the 1987 Plan was to review its and applauded the leadership ofits Co- information services in certain public Chairs, Edward N. Brandt, Jr., M.D., health areas, namely, those dealing with Ph.D., and Gilbert S. Omenn, M.D., toxicology and environmental health. A Ph.D., and the hard work ofall the Planning Panel was assembled and members and the involved Library staff. — instructed by the Board to address these Now begins the challenge to assemble concerns. With this step, the Board the resources and to implement the initiated a planning process that moved recommendations forward with remarkable efficiency and ended with laudable results. The Panel was asked by the Board to address issues Lawrence Cohn, M.D. such as the near- and long-term needs of Chairman, Board ofRegents various user communities for informa- National Library ofMedicine *NationalLibraryofMedicine, Longrangeplan; reportoftheNLMBoardofRegents. Bethesda, Md.: NationalLibraryofMedicine, January 1987. 6 Preface The publication ofRachel Carson's Silent evaluate the goals, objectives, and scope Spring in 1962 sounded a wake-up call ofNLM's Toxicology Information Pro- to society, and worldwide concern about gram considering current and likely the deleterious effects oftoxic agents on future requirements for information and man and the environment has been data in toxicology and environmental increasing ever since. health, as well as likely advances for technology for information sciences. Scientific inquiries into the nature and seriousness ofthese effects are growing, The Panel's analyses, conclusions and and governmental action, particularly in recommendations are set forth in this the United States and the other industri- report, which represents much serious alized countries, to identify, prevent or discussion and diligent work on the part at least alleviate such effects through ofthe Panel members. We did not reach laws, regulations, and public education our conclusions lightly, and we did so in are on the upswing. As with any area of full recognition ofthe serious fiscal science and technology, it is appropriate constraints faced by the Federal govern- to examine the information base and the ment. Nevertheless, it is ourjudgment related information dissemination infra- that the provision oftoxicology and structure that supports these inquiries environmental health information to a and activities. wide variety ofusers is a timely and important Federal investment. The For the last twenty-five years, the members ofthe Panel gave generously of National Library ofMedicine, through their time and talent, and we thank its Toxicology Information Program, has them on behalfofthe Library. We are been a leader in makinginformation in also grateful to Dr. Donald A.B. toxicology and environmental health Lindberg, the Director ofthe National available to the professional communi- Library ofMedicine, and to the capable ties that need it. While these subject NLM staffwho assisted us throughout areas and the related NLM activities our deliberations; their good work made were touched on briefly in the Library's our tasks easier. 1987 LongRange Plan, there was not sufficient time then to examine them in detail and make recommendations for EdwardN. Brandt, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. NLM relevant initiatives. It was, there- Gilbert S. Omenn, M.D., Ph.D. NLM fore, appropriate and timely for the Co-Chairs, LongRange Library's Board ofRegents to ask that a PlanningPanel on Toxicology Panel ofExperts be assembled to re- andEnvironmental Health 7