LSRO's Reduced Risk Review Biological Effects Assessment (BEA) Committee met for the second time on the FASEB Campus, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD on September 27-28, 2005. The BEA Committee members present were John Ambrose, M.D., Mark W. Frampton, M.D., Loren D. Koller, D.V.M., Ph.D., John F. Lechner, Ph.D., and Russell P. Tracy, Ph.D. James P. Kehrer, Ph.D. was in absentia. The Core Committee members present were Elizabeth Anderson, Ph.D. (9/27), Carroll E. Cross, M.D. and Joseph V. Rodricks, Ph.D. (9/27). The LSRO staff members present were Michael Falk, Ph.D., Catherine St. Hilaire, Ph.D., Daniel Byrd, Ph.D., Amy M. Brownawell, Ph.D., and Karin French, B.S. Mike McEwan, Ph.D. of the Biological Sciences Group at British American Tobacco addressed the committee on September 27, 2005 at the beginning of the Executive Session.

The major goal of the meeting was for the committee to gather information about and consider biomarkers for human tobacco-related diseases, specifically lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cardiovascular disease that could be used to evaluate potential reduced-risk products. The limitations of currently available biomarkers and prospects of emerging biomarker technologies were also addressed.

The next meeting of the BEA committee is scheduled for November 29-30, 2005 on the FASEB Campus, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD.