After reading City of Dust, which detailed the extensive health consequences of the September 11, 2011 terrorist attacks on responders and individuals in the area, I was glad to read that the September 11 Health Fund would expand its coverage of diseases. On June 8, the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Dr. John Howard, ruled that the fund will now cover cancer as one of the health outcomes of September 11. This coverage will apply to emergency responders in addition to other individuals who were living or working in the area, volunteering during response and recovery efforts, and even schoolchildren.
I am not only glad to see that NIOSH has expanded disease coverage but that this is granted to children as well, whose safety is often neglected under other federal standards for worker safety (e.g. adults can request an inspection of their workplace for health issues or file safety violations, but children who live, work or play at these same sites do not have the same rights and protections). This announcement, however, does not come without concern for many reasons; there is not yet a proven link between the dust and cancer, and if cancer does develop, there are potentially other contributing factors, such as if individuals were also smokers or were exposed to other environmental hazards before or after the September 11 attacks which could contribute to cancer. Cancer can also take a long time to develop, and may not present in individuals until after the fund’s coverage ends. Further, no additional funding has been allocated to this expansion, meaning that cancer treatment could potentially draw funds away from other diseases and/or patients currently treated by the fund. Regardless, it appears to be a step in the right direction toward ensuring health coverage for individuals who are suffering and will suffer negative environmental health consequences from September 11.
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References:
Hartocollis, A. (8 June, 2012). Sept. 11 health fund given clearance to cover cancer. The New York Times. Retrieved 26, June from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/09/nyregion/ruling-to-allow-9-11-health-fund-to-cover-cancers.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120609
Public Health Perspectives 