Responding to Chemical, Biological, or Nuclear Terrorism: The Indirect and Long-Term Health Effects

Responding to Chemical, Biological, or Nuclear Terrorism: The Indirect and Long-Term Health Effects

[pdf document, Kenneth C. Hyams, Frances M. Murphy, Simon Wessely, 2002] This article, by .Kenneth C. Hyams and Frances M. Murphy of the Department of Veterans Affairs and Simon Wessely of Guys, Kings and St. Thomas School of Medicine and Institute of Psychiatry, London, was written prior to the September 2001 terrorist attacks. They note that the possibility of terrorists employing chemical, biological, or nuclear/ radiological (CBN) materials has been a concern since 1995 when sarin gas was dispersed in a Tokyo subway. These incidents can cause widespread confusion, fear, and psychological stress that have lasting effects on the health of affected communities and on a nations sense of well-being. To respond effectively to CBN attacks, a comprehensive strategy needs to be developed that includes not only emergency response, but also long-term health care, risk communication, research, and economic assistance. Organizing an effective response challenges government institutions because the issues involvedeligibility for health care, the effects of low-level exposure to toxic agents, stress-related illnesses, unlicensed therapeutics, financial compensationare complex and controversial. In this revised version, the authors note that some of the concerns raised in the original manuscript about the acute health effects of a terrorist attack have come to pass, but they underestimated the impact that a terrorist attack would have, not only on the targeted community but also on the general population and its leaders. (Originally published in Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, Vol. 27, No. 2, April 2002; Duke University Press)

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CBN-hyams.pdf

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2002-10-30