One of the major problems the Department faced was determining
whether fallout radiation from atmospheric weapon tests had caused
cancer or leukemia among former soldiers or local off-site residents.
The Marshallese and Japanese victims who received large doses of
radiation from the Bravo fallout had been compensated for their
injuries.
But had the very low doses from fallout radiation also caused
injury to others?
Former military personnel who had -participated in
troop maneuvers at the test site argued that soldiers were exposed to
more radiation than previously believed and that the exposure had caused
illness and death from cancer.
Reports of the soldier's health problems
and new studies among the Marshallese, which demonstrated the smaller
the radiation dose the longer the period before thyroid tumors became
evident, caused intense public anxiety and by the fall of 1977 had
swamped the Departments of Energy and Defense with calls from cancer
patients and their relatives.>”
In Noverber 1978, in response to the outpouring of public concern
President
Carter ordered
the
Department
of
Health,
Education,
and
Welfare to establish a program of research on the effects of radiation
exposure.
In addition,
Congress directed the Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare to establish a comprehensive program of research
on the effects of low-lével radiation and to review all federal programs
in this field.
Cooperating with the Department of Health, Education,
. and Welfare the Department of Energy opened its files on the effects cof
radiation and atmospheric testing programs to federal -researchers and
Congressicnal investigators.
In February 1979 in response to a request