David Tollerud, MD, MPH, Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, has been asked to chair the Committee on Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD) for the Institute of Medicine (IOM). This ad hoc committee of experts in conjunction with IOM's Medical Follow-up Agency will conduct an epidemiological study comparing the health status of the SHAD veterans with a comparison population. This study will build on knowledge gained from a prior study (Long-term Health Effects of Participation in Project SHAD) conducted by IOM between 2003 and 2007. The SHAD II study will use the established SHAD participants list and the comparison population list of individuals determined from the prior study. As part of the data collection process, the committee will plan and conduct meetings to receive suggestions and input from SHAD veterans about their experiences so that the study can be informed by the insights of these veterans. The first committee meeting will take place on Jan. 19-20, 2012, in Washington, DC.

The charge to the committee and a list of the membership of the committee is available at http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=IOM-BSP-10-08.