C00021975

[PAGE 2]
MEMORANDUM FOR: Lnspector General

SUBJECT : : Project OFTEN

1. The purpose of this memorandum is to document to the best of my knowledge the activities associated with Project OFTEN. I am writiag this at the request of Mr.

Deputy Inspector General. I am writing it at this point in time. becausə (a) in a recent telephone conversation with the Office of it bccame apparent that there is very little wxitten inIormation available on the project; (b) all of the key people associated with the project are no longsr with tbe.Aliency; (c) I amn resigring from the Central Intelligence Agency on ll May 1974. I bope this memorandum and attachments will never be needed, but I believe it is in the interest of CLA' to have the following information documented in case it should be required.

2. Tie project dealt with the behavioral effects of chemical cempounds (drcgs) on humans. Numerous sources of compcunds and data baces were used including private industry, other U.S. Government agencies, and foreign sources. An entire resezrch cycle was set up, from the discovery ofnew compounds or the developraent ol hybrids, to avinal scrcening, to clinical (human) testing- Numerous data bases were acquired to help reiine our search for candidate compounds.

3. The following activities were conducted with the Edgewood Arsenal, Edgewood, Maryland. We obtained z large data base from them containing their animal toxicity screen data. They supplied : U.S. Army volunteers foritesting of our candidate compounds. We transferred funds to them for their efiorts. As a result of this testire something called the "Boomer" was developed. After the project was cancclled one more data base was received containing their clinical data on humans. As the project had been cancelled this data base was not exploited but remzined in storagc. At a recent request ofI visited the |Building to help them determine

(4z6)

C00021975

6 May 1974

[PAGE 3]
the nature of all the stored computer data relating to the project. Upon examining a listing of the clinical data it became cvident thal the volunteers' names were incorporated in the dale base. If the data base contains all of the information described on the forms used by the doctors at Edgewood, it seems this data base' could be a severeinvasion of privacy of these volunteers. One form, the biographical one, comes to mind immediztely. This forrn coutains questions about the volunteers'sex life, alcohol and drug use, parents' farily liie, and numerous personal questions. I believe the volunteers never intended for this inforration to leave the control of the U.S. Army. It should be noted that (to the best of my knowledge)had no knowledge of the sensitivity of this data base until very recently since the data base was rot being exploited We also obtained their Wiswesser Line Notation (WIN) data base which contained the WLN notation for the compounds they have .. .. researched.

4. The follcwing activities were conducted with

They did all of the benchwork. of animal screening. They took the candidate compounds and ran them through a seriss of screens on such animals as mice, xats,.. cats, and monkeys. It was a result of these screens that datermined whether to go ahead with further testing in huran Edgewood volunteert It was also through this contractor that funds were used to pay university professors'wnen neèded.

5., Several contractual agreements were made with private industry to receive new compounds of possible interest to CLA. These companies include

other organizations whose names I cannot remember. Numerous compounds were received from these organizations and the resúlts of the screens, in the form of computer reports, were returned to : the sources of the compounds. This was a delicate process because some of the compounds were under patent consideration by their : companies. Several foreign scurces were also used but I did not have access to which ones.

6. An effort was also put forth to dcvelop our own WLN. data base. Assistance was received from experts at Edgewood Arsenal and Fort Dietrich.

0

C00021975

2

[PAGE 4]
7. It was my belief that the project had three primary operational purposes. First, it was hoped that new compouads could be derived that could be used offensively. An example would be to come up with a compouad that could simulate a heart attack or a stroke in the targetted individual, or perhaps a new hallucinogen to cause the targetted individual to act bizarrely- Second, it was hoped that blockers or even immunizations could be developed for .. .koown drugs. Although this would be mainly for use by our people in hostile environments, any progress along these lines ccrtainly would have been welcomed by conventional drug related agencies. Third, it was my understanding that we would use profiles of. volunteers wbo had received known drugs for comparative amslysis. For example, if one of our peoplc suddenly started scting peculiarly, a profile of bis actions could be run through the data base to-see if. his particular combination of actions matched any koown drug profilen; I addition to these three operational goals, other work was being done . on a permuted search capability of the WLN data base. There weru also plans tu develop a file of all knowu Soviet research ia the drug zrea. The basis for my understanding of these goals was direct conversations with the division chiel who had control over the project, the project oficer who was running the project, and discussions at which I was present. To my knowledge only one compound was ever perfected. I have no kowledge of it or any other compound being esed operetionally.

8. I ar also attaching a series of Activity Report forms I used over the years to document the progress of my efforts.· While these forms represent cnly my participation ip the project, I believe.: they do give precise information as to the who, wher, and whrre of many of the activities that were involved.

9. If this memorandum or its attachments should raise further questions, I would be happy to assist in any way to get the required answers. However, as I previously mentioned I will be leaving the Agency on ll May 1974. If I do not receive any queries during this. time, I will assume this menorandum and attachments were sulficient so that the Agency will not be caught by any surprises from this project in the future.

0021975-

Attachments: 2/s

[PAGE 5]
! MENOONEORIGINALCOPTONL.WEwAYDLONTACTODSETFOPOSSBLRET DCIC.ORPENDINEWAAT WBSFINO ATLEAST FORUS:CT2NAMBSiN:DAM

C00021975