‘, J . 7 Net a —— ; L BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES. INC... UPTON. L.L,. N.Y. 11973 MEDICAL DEPARTMENT _ TetepHONE: (516) 345- 3577 May 18, 1973 Senator Olympio T. Borja, Chairman Special Joint Committee on Rongelap and Utirik Atolls, Congress of Micronesia Saipan, Mariana Islands 96950 Dear Senator Borja: The following comments concern your Special Committee's Report on Rongelap and Utirik. | The report is well written and the Committee is to be commended on’ the vast amount of work that went into compiling such a comprehensive document. The reports of the observers were most gratifying to us, particularly such Statements as in the final paragraph of Dr. Ezaki's report. Generally, the report of the Committee appeared to be favorable to the medical examinations. It appeared to me, however, that some of the statements made that are critical of the medical examinations are at variance with those made by the medical observers. Some comments I do not feel to be justified and some are in error. While some of these criticisms are probably due to lack of understanding of medical procedures by the Committee, I thought you would like to have them brought to your attention, in the interest of accuracy. One area concerned the inference that our medical reports were colored by AEC influence. This seemed to be based on some degree of conservatism in the reports. Most of the doctors who have participated in the examinations are prominent in the field of medical research and because ‘of this, are justifiably cautious about drawing conclusions concerning results and hazards without adequate statistical proof. With regard to hazard evaluation, guidelines have been derived largely from the ''International Commission on Radiological Protection" (not from AEC). - May I point out again that members of the medical examining teams are highly capable and noted physicians from private institutions. They do not work for the AEC nor for other government agencies. They are picked for their special medical knowledge and expertise, and often go on the survey at considerable personal sacrifice. Another area of criticism that I do not believe justified concerned the fact that at times our scientific curiosity was placed before "immediate need of the people". The example was presented that no prophylactic antibiotics were used in the tréatment of early blood cell depression in the Rongelap people since it would obscure medical findings. [It should be pointed INFORMATION OPERATOR (516) 345-2123 5010615