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A Feasibility Study of the Health Consequences to the American Population From Nuclear Weapons Tests Conducted by the United States and Other Nations

In 1998, the Senate Appropriations Committee asked the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct an initial assessment of the feasibility and public health implications of a study concerning the health consequences to the American population of radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing. This request resulted in a collaborative effort by staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to:

1. locate documents related to nuclear weapons fallout
2. develop preliminary dose and risk estimates for the population
3. review the epidemiologic literature
4. review and outline communication strategies

In 2002, HHS transmitted to the Senate Appropriations Committee a progress report and an extensive two-volume Feasibility Study providing details on the scientific methods and conclusions of this feasibility study. The draft Feasibility Study was also sent to the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Assessment of CDC Radiation Studies. A report from that committee was issued in February 2003.

>>Progress Report on the Feasibility Study of the Health Consequences to the American Population of Nuclear Weapons Tests Conducted by the United States and Other Nations (PDF, 750 Kb)

>>A Feasibility Study of the Health Consequences to the American Population From Nuclear Weapons Tests Conducted by the United States and Other Nations (PDF, 33 Mb)

>>Questions & Answers (PDF, 100 Kb)

>>User Help (PDF, 35 Kb)

>>National Academy of Sciences Review of the CDC-NCI Draft Report on a Feasibility Study of the Health Consequences to the American Population from Nuclear Weapons Tests Conducted by the United States and Other Nations

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