Yesterday’s New York Post bemoaned the unequal compensation provided to those who claim to have various ailments as a result of exposure to toxins at Ground Zero.
“Dispatch readers know that ACSH’s Jeff Stier took these claims on last week,” says Dr. Ross. “He was attacked by Representatives Maloney and Nadler for his op-ed, which pointed out that there was little or no evidence linking toxic dust from 9/11 to chronic disease.”
“This piece compares the amount awarded to someone claiming to have asthma as a result of 9/11 and someone claiming to have esophageal cancer as a result of 9/11,” says Dr. Whelan. “The whole thing is absolutely insane, since there’s no causality proven between the dust and, for example, esophageal cancer. It’s an assault on epidemiology. The sad fact is that people sometimes get these diseases as they get older, but now anyone who was anywhere near Ground Zero who gets sick at any time can demand payment, and the only question anyone is asking is: how much should they get? It’s an outrage, but we at ACSH seem to be the only ones who are outraged. Why aren’t other scientists standing up and decrying these abuses?”