Mission and Functions
Mission
The Office of International Health Studies engages
in the conduct of international scientific studies that
may provide new knowledge and information about the
human response to ionizing radiation in the workplace
or people exposed in communities as a result of nuclear
accidents. The mission includes providing health and
environmental monitoring services to populations specified
by law.
Functions
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Manage the Marshall Islands Program to provide
medical screening and care for the Rongelap and
Utrõk population exposed in the Marshall Islands
to fallout from a 1954 atmospheric nuclear weapons
test. The program fulfills requirements established
in Public Law 108-188, the "Compact of Free Association
Amendments Act of 2003" and earlier Public Laws.
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Manage the Japan Program through support for the
Radiation Effects Research Foundation. This jointly
funded program supports health studies conducted
by RERF of the A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. The results of RERF research on A-bomb
survivors are the primary basis for international
radiation protection standards.
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Manage the Spain Program through scientific and
financial support of Project Indalo with the Spanish
Government. This jointly funded program provides
medical surveillance and environmental monitoring
as a result of a "broken arrow" event that contaminated
portions of farm land in Palomares, Spain. The program
is expected to improve our understanding of the
environmental behavior of plutonium in an arid ecosystem
and pathways to people living and working in the
region. The research effort was formalized in the
1966 Hall-Otero Agreement.
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Manage the Russia Health Studies Program through
a portfolio of cooperative health research and radiation
studies with the Russian Federation Joint Coordinating
Committee for Radiation Effects Research. The program
evaluates long-term effects on workers and populations
living near the Russian production site at Mayak.
The effort is expected to answer critical questions
on the health impacts associated with long-term,
low dose-rate radiation exposures.
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Manage the Chernobyl Program. Engage in cooperative
agreements to assess the impact on worker health
from exposure to ionizing radiation by approximately
20,000 workers engaged in the Chernobyl, Ukraine
"shelter plan" activities. The shelter plan is to
entomb the destroyed commercial nuclear power plant
reactor. The current "Chernobyl Research with Service
Program" was mandated by Congress in 2006. The program
is expected to provide improved guidance for radiation
protection policies for DOE and commercial nuclear
reactor workers.
For additional information, contact Barbara Halter
Gerald R. Petersen, Director, Office of International Health Studies
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