Seventh Meeting of the Scientific and Ethics Committee for the Clinical Study of the F1Offspring of A-bomb Survivors Held at Hiroshima RERF
Waka Ohishi, Chief
Department of Clinical Studies, Hiroshima
The seventh meeting of the Scientific and Ethics Committee for the Clinical Study of theF1 Offspring of A-bomb Survivors was held at the Hiroshima Radiation Effects ResearchFoundation (RERF) on Wednesday, November 29, 2017. The meeting’s objective was toreport and discuss the progress being made on the Clinical Study of the F1 Offspring ofA-bomb Survivors (F1 Clinical Study) and the results of that study’s preliminary analyses.
The F1 Clinical Study (first round of examinations), conducted from 2002 to 2006,
investigated the relationship between parental exposure and prevalence of multifactorialdisease (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, angina pectoris, myocardial
infarction, and stroke) among the offspring of A-bomb survivors. The results indicated noevidence for increased risk of multifactorial diseases from parental radiation exposure.
However, the study’s continuation was recommended, due to the possibility of a participation
bias in the prevalence study, and because the average age of participants was young, atapproximately 49 years, among other reasons. Accordingly, the Longitudinal Clinical Study ofthe F1 Offspring of A-bomb Survivors (second round of examinations) was initiated inNovember 2010, with approximately 12,000 study participants.
The meeting began with opening remarks from Dr. Ohtsura Niwa, RERF Chairman,
followed by Dr. Kazunori Kodama, Chief Scientist, who introduced the committee members.
After Dr. Hirotsugu Ueshima, Committee Vice Chairman (who served as Acting Chairman ofthe meeting), addressed the audience, Dr. Waka Ohishi, Chief of the Department of ClinicalStudies, reported on the steady progress that the studies have made: 1) 10,426 people
participated in the second round of examinations, which mostly met the target of an 80%
participation rate; and 2) The current participation rate for the third round of examinations,which began in November 2014, is 73.3%. Moreover, participants continue to grant consent
for storage/use of their blood and urine samples in future research at high rates(approximately 99% for non-gene analyses, and 97% for gene analyses).
Next, Dr. Yoshimi Tatsukawa, Associate Chief, Department of Clinical Studies, reported
the results of preliminary analyses of the first- and second-round examinations on thefollowing: 1) the relationship between prevalence of multifactorial disease (hypertension,hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and diabetes mellitus) and parental exposure, and2) the relationship between parental exposure and incidence of multifactorial disease (thosementioned above).
Dr. Ueshima moderated as participants engaged in an active question-and-answer session,
and with that, we received invaluable comments from the committee members on how toproceed with the study and on points warranting consideration in the ongoing analyses. Dr.
Ueshima wrapped up the meeting, which ended with Dr. Robert L. Ullrich’s closing remarks
and words of appreciation to the committee members.
We will continue to work to sustain the F1 Clinical Study’s high participation rate andconsent rate into the future. We will also further improve this study’s health examination
program to contribute to early detection/treatment of disease and improvement of healthmanagement among the study participants.

1Members of the Scientific and Ethics Committee for the Clinical Study of the F1
Offspring of A-bomb Survivors:
Chairman:Tadao Shimao, Consultant, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association
Vice Chairman:
Hirotsugu Ueshima, Special Contract Professor, Center for
Epidemiologic Research in Asia, Shiga University of Medical
ScienceCommittee
Takashi Kawamoto, Professor, College of Liberal Arts,Members:
International Christian University
Shinsuke Kimura, Attorney, Kimura Shinsuke Law Office
Hideo Sasaki, Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences,
Faculty of Human Ecology, Yasuda Women’s University
Kazuo Tajima, Visiting Professor, Mie University; Director,Sensin Social Welfare Corporation & Misugi Clinic; HonoraryDirector, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute
Masao Tomonaga, Professor Emeritus, Nagasaki University
Taisei Nomura, Professor Emeritus, Osaka University; ProjectLeader, Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases,
National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health andNutrition
Norihiko Hayakawa, Professor Emeritus, Hiroshima University
Yoshimitsu Fukushima, Professor, Shinshu University School of
Medicine
Katsumi Furitsu, Researcher, Laboratory of Animal Models for
Human Diseases, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation,
Health and Nutrition
Eiji Maruyama, Project Professor, Graduate School of HealthManagement, Keio University
David B. Richardson, Associate Professor, Department ofEpidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North
Carolina
RERF:Chairman
Vice Chairman/
Executive Director
Executive Director
Associate Chief ofResearch
Chief Scientist
Chief of Secretariat

Ohtsura Niwa
Robert L. Ullrich
Akira Hashizume
Eric J. Grant
Kazunori Kodama
Douglas C. Solvie

Others:Members of the Clinical Study of the F1 Offspring of A-bomb Survivors Project Group andresearch scientists with the Department of Clinical Studies

2Committee proceedings

Vice Chairman Ueshima (Acting Chairman)
moderating the committee3