Hanford Conducted Human Experiments (Spokesman-Reivew)

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Washington state prisoners took part in radiation testing in past 25 years By Lonnie Rosenwald 9.11 writer tion activities. fects of Hanford Nuclear ReservaIn one experiment performed tion experiments on humans - in- Washington State Penitentiary yoof Washington prison inmates -was by Hanford nuclear rayed. They later underwent vasecofficials in the past 25 years, ac- ~~~~fvi,t,od~~av~tch~:.from prisoners a t the Oregon State Pris-Monday. The U.S. Department of Energy on between August 1963 and May made the documents available af- 1971. ter a request from a member of a In a 1958 test, a woman in an uninational panel studying health ef- dentified city was given a dose of RICHLAND - A series Of radia- from 1963-1973, 64 inmates a t the lunteered to have their testicles X-‘luding One performed On ‘Ording to ’ documents Tests also were conducted on 67 radioactive Carbon;ll during her 10th week of pregnancy. According to the documents. she was given an abortion six days later because the fetus had sickle-cell anemia. Eight people were paid to submit to radiation doses a t the University of Washington Hospital in 1965 and sured for signs of radioactive discharge, the documents say. None of the test participants was The tests were supervised by Hanford under the jurisdiction of the DOE or its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission. “We’re not talking about human experimentation the way I think some people would characterize it during the u a r in Kazi Germany or something like that.” said Hanford operatioas manager Michael Law- “These were all tests done to deternine the effects of radiation and people were informed aha: Tne purpose apparently was to develop safety standards for nuclea r workers and to help find cures Asked i! the tests aerea good idea, Lawrence replied, “You’d have to ask the medical community fn.Kayne Attwd of Spokane, local president of Physicians for Social Responsibility, compared the experiments to those conducted “This is the type of thing we saw wood said. “It ncgs of that type of ac;i*;ity in my mind. I would view Atrwood said experiments have been conducted before on prisoners to find cures for diseases, but radiation is more dangerous because of its possible long-term effects. agent. such a s radiation, it can be been done i n the past, but it has been condemned by the medical perimenration has been viewed with concern, and considered unacizel hnrnan radiatior: studies as He acknoKledged such human tests. done on siLe and elsewhere. no longer are done a t DOE. He said he dian’t know why they were ed the overal! management and were tess requested by Washington De zi is of the experiments aere provided to Congress in 1984, he (See Experiments on page 8)

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By Russell Carollo Washington State Penitentiary inmates were used as pinea pigs for radiation experiments in tne 196Gs because the government a p parently wanted to k n o ~more abou: the effects of space travel on as ron au u. nauts, were exposed to 50 much radiation durlog 2 flight that ther wanted t o test them (inmates).” said Bobby Rhay, warden of the pnson frorr. 1957 LO 1 9 i i . Government scientist were particularly concerned Kith the effects of the Van Allen belts on a s w First discovered in 1953. the Van Allen belts a r e two zone5 of eiectrically charged particles that surround the earth high above i t s surface. Discovery of the belts u a s based on data supplied by Explorer A University of Washington doctor conducted the experiments on 64 inmates, who were given doses of radiation to their testicles and later received vasectomies. Rhay. in a Monday telephone interview from his house in Walla in 1963 and lasted only a short “I was just given instructions &a: the experiments had been a g Rcay said the inmates volunteerec! for the experiments and were told of the consequences. The former warden said he believes the inmates were paid to participate, but he was not sure. ” Many of them were lifers wbo co..npletc briefing. They explained everything. It satlsfied me. ‘‘1; Kas done according to the book as !ar a s I was concerned.” Rhay said he could not remembe: the names of the inmates who were tated. The US. Departmen! men& regarding the tests Monday,. did not give the names of the bRhay said the experiments were son. wbose first name May did oo( i hation over a year. Radiation gets to the thyroid after being ingested in milk from cows that graze on radiationconThe CDC panel is to recommend Friday whether further health studies should be conducted. Without another full-scale study, way to tell” health effects. the accuracy of the dose estimates mental data exists from 1945.