an ) “LBROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY MEMORANDUM DATE: July 12, 1979 TO: Dr. FROM: Robert B. Hugh S. SUBJECT: Aronson Pratt, M.D. Washington, D.C. ~ Trip Report July 20, 1979 The meeting was set up specifically with Walter Weyzen and Bruce Wachhola to discuss the commitments for expansion for the BNL Medical Survey EProgramto include at least the island of Likiep and probably a number of other atolls above 8 nocth latitude. When I arrived at DOE headquarters at about 10:00 AM I im- modiattly saw Walter Weyzen (he had kindly agreedto come in on leave for this discus ion, I explained to Walter that I was in receipt of a number of pieces cz corrsspondence coming primarily from the Department of Interior from Ruth Vantleve addressed to Tony deBrum in the Marshall Islands, indicating that the Don/?NL Medical Suxvey of September 1979 would probably be expanded to includ? a survey GE the people of Likiep. Before going to Washington I had developed a position papet entitled "Expansion Plan - Marshall Islands Program" address~ ing the manpower requirements for the basic survey team and then detailed logistic requirements in manpower and man days for examinations of all of the islands under consideration. On the 19th of July, I discussed this position paper with Dy. Aronson and Dr. Borg. It was the feeling of Dr. Borg that we should make it perfectly clear that the°BNL mandate was to gather accurate scientific data on the long term effects of ionizing radiation on the people of Rongelap and tirik. He understood of course that the program had evolved gradually over the ensuing twenty-five years and that it now included an element of primary care but he emphasized that the primary care aspects of this program were a secondary consideration in the role of gathering research data. He wanted me to make this point clear to Dr. Weyzen and Dr. Wachholz that he was concerned that any major expansion in the primary-care area would dilute the research effort to the point of no return. This was exactly the same position that I took_in December1978intheposition paper submitted to the Department of Energy on the future plans for the Marshall Islands study. The prime moving force for all of these commitments by DOI of DOE's resources came apparently from the recent visit of Tony deBrum and a delegation from the Marshall Islands to the United States and to the United Nations. Tony deBrum had circulated a "medical questionnaire” that he said indicated the presence of an unusually high incidence of thyroid disease and congenital abnormalities in the people of Likiep, and he claims that these people were exposed to an increased amount of radiation due to the nuclear tests on Bikini and Eniwetok. In essence, he demanded a medical survey of these islands as soon as possible. I explained to the group at DOE that the Brookhaven National Laboratory staff consists of myself, and Bill Scott at BNL, on Kwajalein we have Peter Heotis, a laboratory technician and Jenuk Kabua, R.N.. That is our entire staff. At the present time, we are hardly able to meet our present commitments and any projected expansion of the nagnilud= suggested by the correspondence I'd seen was totally impossible under the existing Funding and manpower. I explained to them in detail that since the oe u