LETTER TO MR. O'GRADY FROM (DELETED) RE YOUR FILE NO. L4730, MRS. VAL ORLIKOW

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00295518
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 23, 2025
• Document Release Date: March 3, 2000
• Publication Date: February 15, 1979

Ccntral Intclligcncc Agcncy
WashingtoriMGMM
February 5, 1979
M. James O'Grady, Esq.
Soloway, Wright, Houston, Greenberg
O'Grady, Morin
Barristers, Solicitors and Notaries
170 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, Ontario K22 1P3
Dear Mr. O'Grady:
Re: Your File No. L4730, Mrs. Val Orlikow
As I advised you in my 12 September 1978 letter, the
United States Department of Justice determined this Agency
may have a legal obligation to identify, locate and notify
any unwitting subjects of MKULTRA drug-testing activities
where it can be reasonably determined their health may
continue to be adversely affected by their prior involvement
in that program.
Your letter of 6 February 1978 suggesting a compensa-
tory payment to Mrs. Orlikow as an alleged "unsuspecting
Participant in CIA-sponsored experiments" indicated that
Mrs. Orlikow "was a patient at the Allan Memorial Institute
in Montreal under the care of Dr. D. Ewen Cameron on two
occasions; the first between November 1956 and March 1957,
and the second between July 1963 and May 1964."
The records available to the Agency concerning CIA
support of research at McGill indicate that this work had
been underway since 1953 without CIA support. An unsolic-
ited proposal for a grant was received from the Allan Memorial
Institute in January 1957 and CIA funding did not actually
begin until April 1957. Agency records indicate CIA funding
of this research ended sometime in late 1960. Thus, according
to Agency records CIA was not involved in the support of
this research program until after Mrs. Orlikow had ended her
first stay at the Allan Memorial Institute and CIA had
terminated its support before she reentered the institute.
Consequently, it appears at this time that Mrs. Orlikow was
not involved as a subject of MKULTRA drug testing sponsored
by this Agency and CIA was not responsible for the treatment
provided to her.
Spprovri for Release
Date tIA
s
I am enclosing copies of the records available to the
Agency pertaining to its support of research at McGill. The
University had no objection to the acknowledgment by CIA of
its involvement in this activity. I trust it will alleviate
Mrs. Orlikow's concerns to learn that she was not subjected
to this treatment as a result of support furnished by this
Agency.
Very truly yoursj - �
.Assi� GeneLd.J..sel
Ends
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