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AZVINGTON
&
BURLING
Mr. Wallace O. Green
April 21, 1980
Page Three
Marshall Islands sought the assistance of Dr. Robert]IG.
Loeffler to attempt to identify the medical informat]jon
which must be obtained in order o determine the ext@nt of
potentially radiation related 2. ormalities in the nq@rthern
Marshall Islands.
Since no definitive radiation measurements
available either for the fallout experienced by the
in question as a consequence of the weapons testing
body dose exposure on these atolls,
fare
?
olls
for 7
the only meaningfpl
assessment of the risk factor created by the exposurefof the
people of the northern atolls is the current and recufrent
determination of somatic effects in the potentially affected
population.
Furthermore, Dr. Loeffler advised us that since
radiation induced carcinogenicity requires long laten¢y
periods (10-20 years for some solid tumors) retrospective
analysis of incomplete, nondirected medical records a¥e
clearly inadequate to establish possible secondary deJeterious effects.
-
Recognizing that the proposed surveys of
health effects will of necessity be incomplete, Dr. Ldeffler
is of the view that we must attempt to provide answerg at
least to the following specific questions.
T.
What evidence exists of developmental effects
associated with radiation?
This may be established by individual and popula-—
tion data of histories and physical examinations to inglude
anthropometric Gata (adult and pediatric).
Population]genetic
studies including cytogenetic chromosoural analyses shguld
be conducted.
It.
What evidence exists of late somatic effects
associated with radiation?
This determination would require:
a)
Thyroid cancer and malfunction screening to iftclude:
- History and physical examinations
- Technitium radioisotope gamma camera imagin
scanning (alternatively radioactive Iodine
scanning)
- Biochemical analyses
including Thvroglobyuli
determination by radioimmune assay