Moreover, the incidence of death due to disease was less than expected whereas traumatic deaths (e.g., accident, war, crime) were greater. The NAS found no evidence of excess deaths attributable to radiation exposure. The National Academy of Sciences also convened a panel in May 1981 to investigate the incidence of multiple myeloma among the occupation forces of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. DNA and veterans groups provided the Academy with the names of all known participants who reportedly had multiple myeloma. NAS concluded that the reported incidence of nine verified cases of multiple myeloma among U.S. veterans of the occupation forces stationed at or near Hiroshima and Nagasaki is less than the incidence in the general population. The expected incidence in a group of this size would be 18. DNA and the VA are supporting an additional NAS study, initiated in 1988. The study is examining the mortality of the some 42,000 participants at Operation CROSSROADS, as well as that of a control group of a like number of unexposed personnel serving at the same time and in similar duties. The use of a control group will ensure that the mortality of CROSSROADS participants is compared to that of personnel whose basic activities and initial level of health were Similar. The study should be completed in about four years. The VA has made it possible for personnel who served on active duty and have doses in excess of 5 rem to be provided a complete medical examination to assess their health status. About 1700 DoD personnel (less than one percent) have such doses, both recorded and calculated, and virtually all have been contacted by DNA and offered this service. Only those who could not be located after extensive efforts have not been so notified. About one-third of the participants have been given physical examinations at VA facilities. The incidence of cancer in this group has been found to be less than the national average. In addition, the VA provides medical examinations, hospital and nursing home care, and limited outpatient services for veterans with radiogenic conditions, in accordance with Public Law 97-72. In the aggregate, the findings of health studies are consistent with what would be expected for unexposed populations. This is not surprising because of the generally low radiation doses received by test participants. National and international authorities have addressed in detail the health risks caused by radiation and have recommended dose limits for radiation workers. It has been established that adverse health effects can result from highdoses of ionizing radiation (e.g., 100 rem or more), but it is not known whether there are deleterious health effects from lowdoses of such radiation (e.g., 5 rem). All of the studies have concluded that the doses received by most nuclear test participants are considerably less than these doses and considerably less than lifetime total doses from natural environmental radiation. According to the National Cancer Institute, in a population of 10,000 individuals who received no known nuclear test or occupational radiation exposure, 1600 are normally expected to die of cancer. According to the National Academy of Sciences Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR), if cancer mortality from high-dose cases can be extrapolated to low levels of radiation, then a dose of about one rem of whole body gamma radiation to the same 10,000 individuals would add only gone additional cancer death. This is considered to be acceptable by current Federal occupational radiation exposure guidelines, and is less than many other occupational risks in