The Government's Response

Congress directed government health agencies to investigate the I-131 problem many years ago, and to make recommendations to Americans who might have related health risks. Gathering information turned out to be very complicated. Record-keeping was incomplete at the time of the bomb testing. Much of the information needed to calculate an individual's dose of I-131 and associated risk is either unreliable or unavailable.

Despite such challenges, government agencies organized expert scientific teams that have devoted many years to learning more about I-131. Reports were published in 1997 and 1999. This brochure continues the effort to educate the American people about the potential health risks from exposure to I-131 from the Nevada Test Site during the Cold War years.