Document Details
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Title:
DRAFT RESPONSE TO QUERY PLUTONIUM INJECTION STUDY-MANHATTAN DISTRICT
Author(s):
Subject Terms:
HREX; BIOLOGICAL EXPERIMENT; MANHATTAN DISTRICT; PLUTONIUM INJECTION EXPERIMENT; QUERY; RESPONSE; STUDY
Document Location:
Location - DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TESTING ARCHIVE Address - P.O. Box 98521 City - Las Vegas State - NV Zip - 89193-8521 Phone - (702)794-5106 Fax - (702)862-4240 Email - NTA@NV.DOE.GOV
Document Type:
CORRESPONDENCE, LETTERS, MEMOS
Publication Date:
1974 May 10
Declassification Status:
Never classified
Document Pages:
0017
Accession Number:
NV0703584
OpenNet Entry Date:
1994 Aug 27
OpenNet Modified Date:
2012 May 14
Description/Abstract:
LETTER TO CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONERS FROM PAUL C BENDER, MAY 10, 1974, DRAFT RESPONSE TO QUERY ON PLUTONIUM INJECTION STUDY-MANHATTAN DISTRICT. THE AEC IS CONDUCTING AN INQUIRY INTO A BIOLOGICAL EXPERIMENT UNDERTAKEN BY THE MANHATTAN ENGINEER DISTRICT TO DETERMINE HOW PLUTONIUM, A MAN-MADE RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL, IS DEPOSITED AND EXCRETED IN THE HUMAN BODY. NEAR THE END OF WWII THOUSANDS OF WORKERS WERE HANDLING PLUTONIUM AND IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO ESTABLISH REALISTIC CRITERIA FOR PROTECTING THEIR HEALTH. BETWEEN 1945 AND 1947, 18 HOSPITAL PATIENTS WERE INJECTED WITH SOLUBLE PLUTONIUM. FOUR OF THE PATIENTS ARE STILL ALIVE. MUCH OF WHAT IS KNOWN TODAY ABOUT THE RETENTION OF PLUTONIUM IS BASED ON THESE EXPERIMENTS. IN 1973 THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR HUMAN RADIOBIOLOGY AT ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY ARRANGED FOR CLINICAL EXAMINATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP OF THE 3 SURVIVING PATIENTS. THE INQUIRY NOW BEING CONDUCTED BY AEC STAFF SEEKS TO ESTABLISH THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE ORIGINAL STUDY WAS DONE, INCLUDING WHETHER ANY OF THE 18 PATIENTS OR THEIR NEXT OF KIN WERE INFORMED ABOUT THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE INJECTIONS. POLICY GUIDELINES FOR THE CONDUCT OF MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION ON HUMANS AND THE CONCEPT OF INFORMED CONSENT WERE THEN NOT YET CLEARLY FORMULATED. AS A RESULT OF THE PRESENT INQUIRY, THE LAST PATIENT INJECTED WAS INFORMED AND CONSENTED TO RECEIVE THE INJECTION. THIS WAS THE ONE PATIENT INJECTED AFTER THE AEC WAS ESTABLISHED. IT IS THE INTENT OF THE AEC TO INSURE THAT THESE PATIENTS WILL BE INFORMED THROUGH THEIR PERSONAL PHYSICIANS. THE FINDINGS OF THE AEC STAFF WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.