Document text
Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
Page 1
STATEMENT CONCERMNG UTIRIK GRIEVMCES The following statements briefly outlines the background and developzenc of the grievances expressed by the people of Utirik Atoll concerning the B?F_ sponsored medical examinations in their letter to Mr. Roger Ray of July 9, Decisions regarding medical examinations and treatnent of the Marshallese people exposed to fallout radiation during the past 22 years have been based on expert medical advise from outstanding specialists in the field of radiation effects, many of whom have participated in the examinations. In addition approval for the manner in which the examinations of the Utirik and Rongelap people were being conducted was documented by an observer group appointed by the Congress of Flicronesia in 1972. This group consisted of several outstanding physicians from Japan, England and the L’nited States. Frequency of examinations; lack ofexpectancy of late thyroid effects: Soon after the examinations of the Marshallese began in 1954, it was known that the Utirik people had received only a slight dusting offillout with an estimated whole body dose 14 rads as compared with 175 rads in the Rongelap people. None of the Utirik people showed acute effects as did the Rongelap people and it was the general medical consensus that this group would not. likely show detectable effects in the future and the people were told of this. It was decided that complete medical examinations every three years would be adequate for this group while annual examinations were indicated for the Rongelap people in view of the much greater exposure and acute radiation effects. The degree of thyroid exposure from radioiodines “In addition to the complete physical examination there have been thyroid and “sick calls” on an annual basis since 1968. Since 1954 the Utirik people have had complete examination in 1957, 1959, 1963, 1969, 1972 and
Page 2
absorbed from the fallout was not realized at the children, and so thyroid effects were not that time, particularly anticipated even in the elap group. In retrospect this is not surprising since only relatively recently has the degree of sensitivity of the thyroid, particularly in children, for the development of radiation-induced tumors begun to be appreciated. It is likely that the United States populations with thyroid exposures have not been as carefully followed as the Utirik population. In 1954 an unexposed group of the Marshallese people living at Kajuro was first chosen as a control group, but this group proved unsatisfactory and in 1958 a control population of some of the unexposed Rongela? people was established. These people were relatives of the exposed group and consisted of 150-200 people. This group is considered quite adequate as a control group for both Rongelap and Utirik people. The slight differences in ethnic background between the two populations did not consti~~te reasons for having separate control groups. Children of exposed parents: The children of the exposed islanders have not been included on the regular examination list. This has not been considered necessary since studies of considerably larger groups of children of exposed paresncs in Japan have not revealed any clear-cut genetic effects and it was therefore felt chat such studies on the Marshallese children were not indicated. ThouSh the children have not been included for regular examinations they are examined and treated,during the visits of our doctors to IJtirik and Rongelap. The lack of inclusion of children of exposed on our examination list has been the cause of considerable unrest among the exposed people. Enclosures 1 and 2 present the ERDA stand on this issue.
Page 3
About 5 years ago a Marshallese congressman attacked the United States the medical team with absurd charges concerning the exposed Marshallese medical examinations and in 1971 he invited a Japanese ‘bedical team” to Marshalls to check-up on our examinations. The team was composed of largely reporters with one Japanese woman doctor. The attempt was thwarted by the High Commissioner because of inadequate credentials of the group. This infuriated the politicians who caused our March 1972 examinations of the Rongelap and Utirik people to be aborted. A special conmittee on Rongelap and Utirik was formed by the Congress of Micronesia who organized a medical observer group in 1972 , referred to at the beginning. The cozmittee published a sizeable book covering our examinations and the observers report, the results of which were generally favorable to us and did much, at least, temporarily, to quiet the unrest. Congress of Micronesia bills and TTPI - ERDA agreement: During the past few years two bills were formulated at the instigation of the Congress of Micronesia 1) A hospital benefit bill (Public -W 5-52) to allow for free hospitalization, transportation and per diem for exposed Rongelap and Utirik patients and included the control group of unexposed Rongelap people who are on 7v2 examination list. This has been the cause of further unrest, which no doubt plays a strong role in the present crisis, particularly in Utirik. The complaints associated with this law largely concerns the fact that the Utirik people feel that there should be a control group for their population. The unexposed Utirik people are not entitled to the benefits of the bill as are the Rongelap control population. Also the Rongelap and Utirik people as pointed out above feel that the children of exposed parents
Page 4
fact that if higher than in the Rongelap population. Puzzling also is the the cancer cases are subtracted from the total thyroid tumor the exposed Utirik people the benign lesions are no nore numerous than found in the unexposed Marshallese populations. It is clear that the occurrence of 3 thyroid cancer cases in the Utirik population (which at that time equaled the Rongelap exposed incidence) caused the Utirik people to believe that their exposure had been greater than they had been led them to believe. This probably helped precipitate the latter of grievances submitted by the Utirik people. The people’s reaction toward the team leader is understandable to some extent, but their remarks about Dr. Knudsen are completely unjustified. Dr. ‘Knudsen is an excellent physician, has been dedicated to the health care of the Marshallese and has been well liked and respected by the people.