verbal accounts from family members, and somerecords kept by local health aides. In addition, health records and death certificates are available from Ebeye and Majuro hospitals, but the accuracy andvalidity of these records are unknown. Autopsies are rarely performed in the Marshall Islands. Notall causes of death were confirmed by pathological diagnosis. Of eight possible cancer-related deaths in the follow-up population, only four have been confirmed by pathological diagnosis. In the Rongelap population, only three of five deaths attributed to cancer have been confirmed by pathologic examination. 5.4.7 Lack of detailed Environmentai/Lifestyle Data Sparse data existed on contamination offish, coconuts, other edible vegetation, animals (pigs, chickens) and other foods in local diets Specific dietary histories of each atoll/cultural group were not available There was a lack of information on individual consumption rates from locally grown food vs imported food supplied by the U.S. | Sparse meteorological data such as wind directions Sparse data onair, soil, water, and other local media such as “coral gravel” contamination 5.4.8 Lack of Statistical Power The extremely small numbers of exposed and non-exposed participants, rarity of disease outcomes, low mortality from target outcomes (ex., thyroid cancer), and natural fluctuations in disease occurrence all serve to makestatistical interpretation of outcome events extremely difficult. Even if the exposed group were re-defined to include residents of islands onginalaQoueh to be unexposed,if a truly non-exposed population could be a JO Zu 4 ps 35