Part IV: Using the ACHRE Collection as a Place to Start

Some Initial Questions and Answers

How can I find out if I or my relative was in a radiation experiment?

This was one of the most commonly asked questions from the hundreds of individuals who contacted the Committee. There is no simple answer. Medical records are the place to start. They should provide information on what condition you or your relative was treated for, what treatment was actually given, and who administered this treatment. See part III.A for further details.

How can I obtain medical records? What should I do with them once I have them?

You have a legal right to your own medical records and, with the proper authorization, to a relative's medical records. By contacting the facility where the treatment occurred, you should be able to request and obtain the records. The next step is to have a qualified medical professional review the records to ascertain whether the treatment administered was acceptable for the patient's condition. See part III.B for further details.

What ACHRE materials are available to the public? Where are they stored and who can look at them?

All documents obtained by and produced by the Advisory Committee are public information, available to anyone. A large portion of Committee materials is available through the Internet. Hard copies of all materials will be stored at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. See part IV.A for further details.

Whom should an individual call to request an investigation into his or her particular case?

This was another very common question. No office currently exists that is specifically chartered to investigate individual cases with respect to human radiation experiments. That is one reason for this guide: to provide individual citizens with enough guidance to begin their own investigations. See part II for details.

Where should an individual researcher turn to learn more about radiation experiments with government involvement?

Researchers can use a number of resources, including the ACHRE collection. If more information is desired, the federal agencies have reported to the Advisory Committee that the public may contact their designated offices. See part II for details.

Whom should the public work through after the Advisory Committee is disbanded?

No extant government body is chartered to provide such guidance. It is the purpose of this appendix to provide individuals with enough direction to begin their own investigations.