Office of Research Administration
 University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
 P. O. Box 26901
 Oklahoma City, OK  73190
 (405) 271-2090

 TO:            Research Colleagues

 FROM:          Jan Trice, Director
 e-mail:  xxxxxx@uokhsc.edu

 DATE:          May 22, 1995

 SUBJECT:       Oklahoma City Federal Building Bombing

 This letter is to solicit your cooperation in
 approaching victims of the Oklahoma City Federal
 Building bombing and their families and friends with
 sensitivity and compassion to their unique
 circumstances in the aftermath of this catastrophic
 event.  Most US disaster research environments
 previously studied have included some loss of life, but
 have been characterized primarily by massive private
 property loss and physical displacement of individuals
 and families.  The Oklahoma City bombing has left
 literally thousands of residents directly affected by
 the loss of  family members, close friends and/or
 professional colleagues.  The psychological
 consequences of this event have the potential to be as
 devastating as the physical, and will be experienced by
 Oklahoma City residents for months and years to come.

 Many of the research protocols developed to study this
 unique situation will be limited to interviews and
 questionnaires,  activities normally qualifying for
 exemption from IRB review.  Because of the
 psychological sensitivity of questions likely to be
 addressed to research subjects, and because of the
 volume of requests family members already are receiving
 from the research community, the OUHSC IRB will require
 full board review of all OUHSC protocols involving
 direct contact with victims and their families.  We
 urge our colleagues at universities and other research
 institutions to do likewise.   We will be require
 written informed consent for face-to-face interviews,
 and special language in telephone and mail survey
 materials, including an introduction acknowledging
 that: (1) the request for participation may be one of
 many; (2) it is not our intent to burden subjects at
 what we know is a very difficult time for them; (3)
 some of the questions asked may be emotionally
 stressful for them; and  (4) counseling is available to
 them from mental health professionals (a contact number
 will be provided).   Protocols limited in their human
 subjects aspects to archival data collection such as
 medical chart reviews will be granted exemption from
 full board review by our IRB chair, subject of course
 to appropriate precautions to protect patient
 confidentiality.

 It is particularly important that we remain sensitive
 to the dual roles many will play in the aftermath of
 the bombing, those of  health professionals delivering
 patient care and of  researchers, and that we clearly
 delineate these roles for potential research subjects.
 Families and individuals must be reassured that they
 have no obligation to talk with anyone about their
 experiences, and that their access to medical care,
 including counseling services, will not be affected in
 any way if they choose not to participate in research.
 Governor Keating has asked the OUHSC IRB and its staff
 to provide a screening service to any member of the
 Oklahoma City community who is contacted by researchers
 and who requests our assistance.

 We recognize that this devastating experience for the
 Oklahoma City community constitutes a unique disaster
 research opportunity.  OUHSC  Office of Research
 Administration staff  offer our services to research
 colleagues in accessing local archival data sources and
 in coordinating related protocols as much as possible
 to avoid needless repetition of data collection efforts
 and to preserve the integrity of  interview data as
 much as possible.   To facilitate that coordination
 process, we are establishing a roster and brief
 synopsis of  bombing-related protocols, to which we
 invite you to contribute.

 The State Department of Health has been designated by
 the Governor's Office as the official depository for
 injury and health information associated with the
 bombing, and has generously offered its services to
 assist the research community, subject to appropriate
 IRB review and approval of protocols.  The Department
 of Mental Health  and Substance Abuse Services has been
 designated as the lead agency for public mental health
 care, and is working closely with the Department of
 Health, the University and local health care facilities
 in the public and private sector.  Collaborative
 efforts are being coordinated through a Disaster Health
 Studies Group, which is expanding to encompass new
 members as research protocols involve additional
 organizations and medical specialties.  We urge members
 of the research community to avail themselves of the
 local knowledge and expertise represented in this
 working group, and we pledge our best efforts to
 facilitate the many important research initiatives
 arising from our community's tragedy.

 If you have any questions or need additional information,
 please contact us at the address/phone listed above, or at the
 e-mail addresses listed below:

 Jan Trice, Director                xxxxxx@uokhsc.edu
 Pat Carlton, IRB Coordinator       xxxxxx@uokhsc.edu
 Lisa Asch, Resource Center Coord.  xxxxxx@uokhsc.edu
     Scott Smith, Sponsored Prog. Adm.  xxxxxx@uokhsc.edu