Testimony of James M. Melius, M.D. on the Reproductive Health of Workers Using Video Display Terminals Before the Subcommittee on Health and Safety Committee on Education and Labor. United States House of Representatives, June 4, 1986

摘要

The testimony describes the design of a study of the reproductive health of video display terminal (VDT) operators. The search for a possible study population lasted more than 2 years. It was finally decided to request participation of employees of the BellSouth and AT&T telecommunications companies at their southwest locations. BellSouth employed a large number of women who spend most of their day working at VDTs. AT&T does similar work, also using a large number of women in the workforce, but without the use of VDTs. The peer review group chosen to evaluate the protocol for the study included four scientists from outside NIOSH and two within. These scientists included three epidemiologists with expertise in reproductive studies, one statistician, and two experts in stress and ergonomics. The study protocol was revised and submitted to the Human Subjects Review Board and subsequently to the Office of Management and Budget. Some concerns surfaced, necessitating several changes in the study protocol. The final version has been sent to the peer review panel and the involved companies and labor unions for their further comment. No study results are included.