About the Navy Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program (AMSP)

The AMSP is the largest program of its kind in the world. The AMSP maintains a record of service members and civilian employees (primarily Navy but including Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard) with a history of occupational exposure to asbestos. Enrollment in asbestos medical surveillance programs is based upon current industrial hygiene risk assessments and interviews by occupational health professionals. Elements of the AMSP include a medical history, physical examination, spirometry, and a chest x-ray. The chest x-ray is evaluated by specially certified physicians in a process called "B reading." The medical examination and B reading results are maintained in the AMSP registry by the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) Occupational and Environmental Medicine Division.

Recent Program Changes

Because both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have determined that digital X-rays are suitable for asbestos surveillance, the Navy began accepting digital images for AMSP B reading. As of March 5, 2014, plain film (conventional) X-rays are no longer used in the AMSP.

In February 2017, the multipart (carbon copy) NAVMED 6260/7 (5-90) was replaced by NAVMED 6260/7 (REV SEP 2016). The updated form is available only as a PDF download.