Review of NASA’s Evidence
Reports on Human Health Risks
2017 LETTER REPORT
Carol E. H. Scott-Conner, Daniel R. Masys, and
Catharyn T. Liverman, Editors
Committee to Review NASA’s Evidence Reports
on Human Health Risks
Board on Health Sciences Policy
Health and Medicine Division
A Consensus Study Report of
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, DC
www.nap.edu
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This activity was supported by Contract NNH13CK19B, Task Order NNH13CK20D, between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-46841-1
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-46841-8
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/24953
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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Review of NASA’s evidence reports on human health risks: 2017 letter report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: https://doi.org/10.17226/24953.
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COMMITTEE TO REVIEW NASA’S EVIDENCE REPORTS ON HUMAN HEALTH RISKS
CAROL E. H. SCOTT-CONNER (Chair), University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City
DANIEL R. MASYS (Vice Chair), University of Washington, Seattle
DANIEL BIKLE, University of California, San Francisco
VICTOR A. CONVERTINO, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX
NANCY E. LANE, University of California, Davis
JAMES A. PAWELCZYK, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
ROBERT L. SATCHER, JR., The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
JULIANNA C. SIMON, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
JACK W. STUSTER, Anacapa Sciences, Santa Barbara, CA
GAYLE E. WOLOSCHAK, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
LAURENCE R. YOUNG, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
Health and Medicine Division Staff
CATHARYN T. LIVERMAN, Study Director
JUDITH L. ESTEP, Program Associate
ANDREW M. POPE, Director, Board on Health Sciences Policy
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Reviewers
This Consensus Study Report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.
We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:
JONATHAN CLARK, Baylor College of Medicine
STEVEN A. GOLDSTEIN, University of Michigan
ADRIAN D. LEBLANC, Baylor College of Medicine
JOHN C. LIESKE, Mayo Clinic
JAMES E. LINGEMAN, Indiana University School of Medicine
ERIC S. ORWOLL, Oregon Health & Science University
DAVID SPRAGG, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
MYRON L. WEISFELDT, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
DAVE WILLIAMS, Exploration Incorporated
Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations of this report nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this report was overseen by JOHN R. BALL, American College of Physicians, Emeritus. He was responsible
for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.
Contents
COMMITTEE’S TASK AND OVERARCHING ISSUES
THE NASA HUMAN RESEARCH ROADMAP
RISK OF BONE FRACTURE DUE TO SPACEFLIGHT-INDUCED CHANGES TO BONE
RISK OF EARLY ONSET OSTEOPOROSIS DUE TO SPACE FLIGHT
RISK OF CARDIAC RHYTHM PROBLEMS DURING SPACEFLIGHT
RISK OF ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND DECREMENTS IN PERFORMANCE DUE TO IN-FLIGHT MEDICAL CONDITIONS