To facilitate the development of data resources for cancer epidemiology, a working group was established by the Director, NCI, in 1978. The membership includes those named above, with Dr. Beebe as chairman. The present functions of the group include creating a national data base for occupational mortality, reviewing Master Order Agreement-Requests for Proposals, oversight of the Veterans Administration (VA) hospital discharge file, liaison with National Center for Health Statistics in regard to the National Death Index, improving access to Federal record systems, and pursuing new leads. A number of contracts or interagency agreements have been initiated in support of this program, especially with the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). A legislative initiative has been drafted in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health to widen the access of medical investigators to the address file of the IRS and to transfer IRS information on occupation of taxpayers to SSA. The number of states performing acceptable coding of occupation and industry increased to 18 for 1986.
