| Abstract: | To determine the role of environmental factors in human health, studies on several population groups are essential, involving the most sophisticated techniques possible. The logistic and political problems associated with such studies, especially in developing countries, and the high cost of modern environmental biological investigations make it particularly desirable to avoid unnecessary duplication and waste of resources. For certain investigations an international research center would appear to have considerable advantages, provided that the organizational difficulties can be overcome. Not only can such an organization provide the human data necessary for calculating the balance between the benefits and harm of a given course of action but also it may stimulate the long-term routine laboratory studies so necessary as a basis for extrapolation from animals to man. |
