Senator Olympio T. Borja ; ‘Sept. 17, 1975 ‘a child exposed at less than 10 years of age (2% of that group) compared with 90% of the Rongelap children exposed at that age. Another important consideration is that the fallout occurred considerably later at Utirik than at Rongelap and most of the more potent short-lived isotopes of iodine had died out. The development of thyroid cancer in the Utirik woman might _ be considered separately since this is more rare. It is difficult however to make a case for radiation effect for one such event. ~ As pointed out above the later arrival of fallout at Utirik, by reduction of short-lived lodine isotopes, would tend to render the thyroid exposure much less tumordgenic. i (3) The first part of question 3 was answered above under #1. I do not believe that there is basis for compensation in the woman with increased miscarriages during the first 5 years after exposure. There is no evidence that radiation was involved. Analysis of such occurrences in the much larger population of Japancse women exposed at Hiroshima and Nagasaki do not show any such effect of exposure. The lack of birth defects in the’ viable children born of exposed Rongelap women who had mis- - " carriages would seem to negate a radiation effect on the germ plasm as a caus¢ of the miscarriages. Data on the exposed women subsequent to the first 5 years show nearly the same incidence of miscarriages in the ex- ‘posed and unexposed women. | (4) Regarding the death of although there is no cer. tainity that his leukemia was radiation-related the chances are in favor of it. Therefore I believe we should favor radiation etiology for conipensation purposes. (5) It is not possible to be precise. However, I will say that we ; are well past the period when most radiation induced leukemias are noted. -, With regard to thyroid tumors the number of new cases seems to be diminish.. dng. (6) ~ did not participate in the decision to move the Rongelap people back and perhaps you had best refer this question to ERDA. I might point 7 out that our data on body burdens in people living on Rongelap show that ' such Levels’ have always remained well below suggested guide lines. ‘I hope these answers will be helpful to you and I will be happy to help in any further way I can. Please let me know about developments with . vegard to the compensation bill. With kindest regards. Sincerely, Robert A. Conard, M.D, RAC: im Enc. mmm 5005035 PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED