Comments on Research Needs

I will not attempt to summarize all of the excellent work presented at this meeting-such a summarization would presume expertise in all of the varied fields which have been represented here, an expertise I do not possess. I believe it will be more useful for me to attempt a very personal assessment of those gaps which I see as now confronting us, in an attempt to identify those that are significant and merit attack. In short, "Where should we go from here?" First, a general statement. I was charged with a similar task last August at a conference convened by FDA on work done on PCBs within the federal government. The extent of additional work that has surfaced as the result of the present conference is remarkable. Clearly, many universities and governmental agencies are extremely interested in the PCBs and have been working intensely in the field in the last few years. I will follow the order of presentation in the present conference roughly, but will assume the liberty of regrouping where this seems desirable.