Chernobyl Nuclear Accident Congressional Hearings Transcript

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Develop programs with emphasis on high risk populations, particularly
those exposed to "hot spots".
(Develop Programs to provide:
Public Information.
Incentives for joint ventures to develop a pharmaceutical
industry.
Incentives for businesses to engage in joint ventures in medical
technology and issues related to the food chain.)
About Medical
Supplies
There is an acute need for childhood immunization, basic supplies of syringes
and needles, diagnostic equipment, etc.
About Thyroid, Leukemia and Other Cancers
The International Advisory Committee stated that "available data reviewed do
not provide an adequate basis for determining whether there has been an
increase in leukemia and thyroid cancer as a consequence of the accident". We
believe that this should be established.
Concerning thyroid cancer, there is an immediate need to establish a
surveillence program. It is estimated that 800,000 children may be at risk.
Thyroid disease is asymptomatic. Studies of children exposed to radiation
fallout have shown that only 3% knew of their disease prior to a careful
thyroid examination. A recent review from the Brookhaven National Laboratory
pointed that "more data are needed on low-dose effects of radioiodines on the
thyroid ... in view of the preponderance of thyroid abnormalities ... in
children ... (the unborn) ... further data would be desirable ... in children
and human fetuses". Another review stated "it is clearly important to attempt
to define subgroups of the population who may be extra-sensitive to the
effects of radiation to the thyroid gland." The fetal thyroid is avid for
iodine and takes up iodine by the 10th week. In Ukraine, it is not known how
many unborn and young children were exposed to radioactive iodine. It is
known that the Chornobyl environs are poor in iodine which poses an additional
risk factor for this population. Purely epidemiologic studies of risks and
outcomes are humanistically unacceptable. Investigations have to include
medical monitoring, health care and prevention.
The global problem posed by Chornobyl is further illustrated by the fact that
in France, calf thyroids were taken "off market" by May 10, 1986. Thyroids of
sheep in Scotland reached hundreds of times greater level of radiation than
those in France. In Vermont, the atomic cloud resulted in the highest reading
of radioactive iodine ever recorded in the continental U.S. (May 11th).
There are growing reports of increasing incidence in Ukraine of childhood
thyroid cancer and leukemia. The long term cancer risks from the received and
on-going chronic low dose radiation are not known.
About Psychological Effects