Overview
The Agency for Toxic Substances
and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is trying to find whether certain people
exposed any time from 1968 through 1985 to polluted drinking water
at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, had specific health effects resulting
from that exposure.
ATSDR's inquiry is a
multi-step process. Research shows that those most at risk of adverse
health effects would have been children still in the womb. Therefore,
the inquiry's first step was to survey the parents of children born
to mothers who were pregnant while living on the base any time from
1968 through 1985.
The survey is now complete.
It identified 103 reported cases of certain childhood cancers and
birth defects. The survey alone does not prove a link between the
camp's drinking water and the cases of childhood cancers and birth
defects. However, it does provide enough information to proceed
with planning a study.
Background
Testing of Camp Lejeune's
drinking water began in 1982. The tests found polluted water at some
base housing. The water had chemicals called volatile organic compounds.
All polluted wells were shut down in 1985.
ATSDR released a public
health assessment of the base in 1997. The public health assessment
found that exposure to volatile organic compounds at Camp Lejeune
probably would not cause health problems in adults. It also said
that further study was needed because other research on volatile
organic compounds suggests that ill-health effects are possible
for persons exposed while still in the womb.
ATSDR studied Camp Lejeune
again in 1998. That study found a link between babies exposed in
the womb to drinking water with volatile organic compounds and cases
of infants born weighing less than the 10th percentile. Even so,
whether volatile organic compounds in drinking water trigger this
and other problems remains unclear.
Preparing for the
New Study
ATSDR now plans a new study
of Camp Lejeune. This study will focus on children whose mothers were
pregnant with them while living at Camp Lejeune any time from from
1968 through 1985. ATSDR considered existing
health studies and decided to focus on these conditions:
Cancers:
- Childhood leukemia
- Childhood non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma
Birth Defects:
- Spina bifida
- Anencephaly (absence
of all or a major part of the brain)
- Cleft lip
- Cleft palate
ATSDR prepared for the
new study by surveying nearly 12,600 participants. Overall, the agency
was able to interview about 80% of those eligible. Surveyed parents
were asked whether their child had a birth defect or had developed
a childhood cancer. A total of 103 cases of the specified conditions
were reported.
The planned study can
include only confirmed cases of the specified conditions. Therefore,
the next step is to confirm the children's health problem(s). ATSDR
has asked permission to review medical records for the children
involved in all 103 cases. Records for 46 of the 103 children have
been received so far. These records are now under review.
The final step will
be to conduct the study - called an epidemiological study
- itself. Only such a study is designed to establish whether the
drinking water at Camp Lejeune is related to the specified birth
defects and cancers.
The Contaminants:
Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile organic compounds
are a group of chemicals that generally includes solvents and fuels.
The two compounds of concern in this case are
TCE is still used at Camp
Lejeune and in many places across the country. PCE leaked into base
wells from an off-base dry-cleaning business.
Neither compound has
been banned or is illegal.
Where Can I Find More
Information?
Please explore this Web
site or call ATSDR toll-free at 1-888-422-8737 to learn more. You
may also visit the U.S.
Marine Corps Web site or call their hotline at 1-877-261-9782. |