UNITE O SEATS
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMIS
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WASHINGTON OC. 20545
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R. E. Hollingsworth, General Manager
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S. G. English, Assistant General Manege
for Research and Development
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PAYMENTS FOR CONTINUED MEDICAL STUDIES OF UTIRIK (MARSHALLESE)
PEOPLE
As you know, we support a long established program of periodic
medical surveys of the Marshallese people, who were accidentally
exposed to fallout radiation during the 1954 weapons test activ-
ities, which is conducted by Dr. Robert A. Conard of the Brookhaven
National Laboratory. The data developed from these medical examinations have proved to be extremely valuable from the standpoint
of increasing our knowledge of biological radiation effects, as
well as rendering an important medical service to the individuals
involved, and these studies are planned to be continued for as
many years as deemed necessary and useful.
Recently Dr. Conard has become increasingly concerned over the
fact that the Utirik people ere beginning to insist on some sort
of recompense for being exposed to the fallout radiation. This
stems at least in part from the fact that the U.S. Congress passed
an Act* approving payment to the Rongelap people (of approximately
$11,000 per individual) in recompense for this population's expo-
sure to fallout radiation. The Utirik people were exposed to a far
lower level of radiation than were the Rongelese (estimated gama
dose, Rongelap - 175 rads; Utirik - 14 rads).
Dr. Conard reports
that when he attempted to explain to the Utirik people the small
amount of radiation they had received, their response was to the
effect that since they had received a "little bit" of radiation,
they should receive a "little bit" of money.
Dr. Conard believes
that a token payment to each of the Utirik people involved, including descendants of deceased, would accomplish 4 great deal in
assuring their future cooperation in the periodic medical examination program. He suggests & payment of $100 per person and
*P.L. 88-485 enacted August 22, 1964, entitled "To provide for the
settlement of claims of certain residents of the Trust Territory
of the Pacific Islands.”
(Sum not to exceed $950,000.)
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