Children's thyroids - Suzuki strikes again

February 9, 2013

Fukushima gov't postponed thyroid examinations for children who fled from prefecture

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130209p2a00m0na011000c.html

The Fukushima Prefectural Government's resident health survey committee postponed thyroid gland examinations for children who fled the region after the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant following secret meetings.

The matter was revealed in the minutes of the secret meetings that were released by the prefectural government after a request by the Mainichi Shimbun under the freedom-of-information act. While the reason to have postponed the examinations is unclear, an expert warns that "Actions such as this could only increase residents' distrust of the prefectural government."

The prefectural government had been conducting thyroid gland examinations as part of its health surveys following the outbreak of the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant disaster in 2011. It assigned the Fukushima Medical University to conduct the examinations. The initial tests for children who remained in the prefecture were carried out at the university's affiliated hospital located in the city of Fukushima in October 2011 and at local halls and elsewhere the following month.

According to the minutes, the preparation of thyroid gland screenings at hospitals outside of Fukushima Prefecture was the topic of the fourth secret meeting on Oct. 17, 2011. Shinichi Suzuki, professor at Fukushima Medical University who was in charge of the examinations, pointed out, "There aren't many doctors who specialize in thyroid gland issues. We need to postpone authorizing hospitals outside of the prefecture to conduct the tests and prioritize arrangements within the prefecture."

However, Suzuki stated in the fourth exploratory panel meeting that was held on the same day as the secret meeting, "We are set to prepare thyroid gland examinations for those who have fled from the prefecture."

Moreover, Shunichi Yamashita, vice president of Fukushima Medical University who chairs the exploratory panel, made a comment at the secret meeting on Jan. 25, 2012, saying, "It is important to send out a message that says we have

prepared for examinations outside the prefecture." Accordingly, in the panel meeting on the same day, Suzuki said, "We have listed 113 (medical institutions outside the prefecture) for the thyroid gland examinations. We plan to make informal agreements with them around January and the examinations will be conducted sometime after April."

Keiichi Sasa, head of the health management research office at the prefectural government, explained at the prefectural assembly's ad hoc committee meeting on March 13, 2012, that, "We are in the final stage of preparing for the thyroid gland examinations outside of the prefecture so that they can start to be carried out in May." Suzuki also said at a press conference after the panel meeting on April 26 that year, "We hope to announce the medical institutions that will carry out thyroid examinations outside the prefecture in May after the Golden Week holiday period."

However, several medical institutions outside the prefecture told the Mainichi Shimbun that they received the documents from Fukushima Medical University requesting support for thyroid gland examinations between late March and early June in 2012, and that the written agreements for the examinations were received in late August.

The prefectural government finally announced on Sept. 5, 2012, the 71 medical institutions outside the prefecture that would carry out the thyroid gland examinations. The tests in other prefectures started in November the same year, about a year after the initial examinations that were carried out for children who remained in Fukushima.

The prefectural government's health management research office responded that although it had originally planned to prepare for the examinations outside of the prefecture in early fiscal 2012, it took time to prepare details that ultimately delayed the announcement to early September. Suzuki hasn't responded to an interview request by the Mainichi.

The exploratory panel has been criticized for its misconduct such as releasing the minutes of the meetings after deleting any references to internal radiation exposure from the documents.