RADIATION SURVIVOR HEALTH EFFECTS
The only known long-term, on-going study of the health effects of radiation exposure has been of the Japanese citizens exposed to the bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.. And even this study was not begun until five years after the bombings. The findings from this study have been the primary basis for establishing "safe" exposure standards and for defining which illnesses experienced by survivors are truly radiogenic.
There appears to have been little or no follow-up of U.S. citizens exposed through the nuclear weapons program although some follow-up has been done with those exposed in medical experimentation. While almost 400,000 veterans were exposed to radiation in the atmospheric tests or in the occupation forces, no on-going studies have taken place, only sporadic "snapshot" studies that have all ultimately been declared flawed. There has been no known follow-up of the other exposed groups either.
A recent study completed in late 1996 on military participants in the 1946 blasts of Operation Crossroads found that there was indeed a higher mortality rate among such participants when compared to a similar non-participant cohort group. However, the National Academy of Sciences concluded that this higher mortality was due to "unknown" factors at the test and a self-selection bias rather than radiation exposure because they did not find the radiation-induced cancers they believe would indicate the connection to radiation.
This focus on cancer has led to a very narrow examination of radiogenic health problems that has focused almost exclusively on cancers and, as time passed, on a very narrow range of cancers. Only by exception has a non-cancer been determined to be a radiogenic illness by government officials.
Yet in the NARS database of over 11,000 survivors, non-cancers such as bone and muscle deterioration, premature cardiovascular and neurological problems, auto-immune deficiency syndromes, sterility, anemia, and dental problems are as common as cancers. While leukemia, lymphoma, cancers of the bladder, bone, colon, lung, throat and kidney exist, non-cancers of these same organs exist in almost the same numbers. Yet in laws covering veterans, only non-cancerous thyroid nodules, posterior sub capsular cataracts and brain and central nervous system tumors are covered as non-cancers.
About 20% of those reporting to NARS have had several miscarriages, stillborn children or children with some form of physical or mental problem. Yet as far as we know, very little has been done in terms of studying the relationship between exposure to radiation and genetic effects on children and, in July 1995, the National Academy of Sciences determined that such a study was not feasible. Some of these problems have moved into the next generation involving the grandchildren of the exposed citizen.
The few scientists and medical people willing to look at the broad range of health effects related to radiation exposure have come under extreme pressure and criticism from their mainstream peers. Many have lost government and other contracts due to their "out of mainstream" findings and many have trouble obtaining peer review for articles they wish to publish in the established scientific and medical journals
NARS has concluded that despite official edicts to the contrary, no one has the scientific data to exclude any illness as radiogenic. The lists created by legislation are based more on politics than scientific knowledge and created to play down the reality of the nuclear age rather than deal with it. The lists are designed to limit claims for harm rather than help the individuals who have been harmed. Business as usual.
PARTIAL LIST OF ILLNESSES EXPERIENCED BY RADIATION SURVIVORS
CANCERS NON-CANCERS
Bile Ducts Anemia
Bladder, Gall Arthritis
Bladder, Urinary Bone Deterioration/Disease
Bone Bleeding Disorders
Brain Cardiovascular Disease
Breast Cataracts
Colon Cerebrovascular Disease
Esophageal Collagen Disease
Hodgkins Dizziness
Kidney Endocrine System
Larynx Eyes (non-cataract)
Large Intestine Fatigue
Leukemia Gynecomastia
Liver Hair Loss
Lung Headaches
Lymphoma, non-Hodgkins Heart Disease
Melanoma Hypertension
Mouth Kidney
Multiple Myeloma Liver
Nasal Cavity & Sinuses Lung
Nervous System Respiratory
Ovaries Nervous Disorders
Pancreas Neurological
Parathyroid Nose Bleeds
CANCERS NON-CANCERS
Pharynx Prostate
Pituitary Gland Skin
Prostate Sleeping Disorders
Rectal Sterility
Salivary Gland Stomach
Skeleton Thyroid
Small Intestine Thyroid nodules, Non-Malignant
Stomach Polycythemia Vera
Testes
Thyroid AUTO-IMMUNE
Uterine Rheumatoid Arthritis
Diabetes
GENETIC DEFECTS Systemic Lupus
About 20% of survivors in the Allergies
NARS database have indicated Thyroiditis
that they have had children and Pernicious Anemia
or grandchildren with some form Addison's Disease
of genetic defect. Connective Tissue Disorder
Multiple Sclerosis
Hypersensitivity
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