Autopsies Part of New 9/11 Responder Health Guidelines

Posted on September 20, 2006

A new plan from the federal government calls for autopsies to be conducted on Sept. 11 workers after they die. The autopsies will help determine whether exposure to toxins at ground zero led to their deaths. NBC News reports that the autopsies come as officials are fearing a wave of early deaths.

The draft autopsy guidelines from the federal government describe which parts of the lungs should be examined, and urge the creation of a "tissue bank" so that certain organs and body fluids are preserved for later testing.
Tissue and fluids should be collected not just from the dead, but from the living, the draft said.

The draft of the report says, "Ideally, this 'tissue banking' system would also be able to accommodate biopsy specimens taken as part of diagnostic workups on patients, since such specimens could be as, or even more, informative than autopsy specimens."

A recent study conducted by the Mount Sinai Medical Center found that 70% of 9/11 responders and workers are suffering from respiratory problems. That is a very high number that appears likely to be linked to working around the collapsed towers.

HEALTH