Statement by 911 Health Watch on the World Trade Center Administrator’s decision to not include on the list of conditions covered for treatment by the program certain autoimmune diseases.
For Immediate Release from 9/11 Health Watch
June 6th, 2015
Statement by 911 Health Watch on the World Trade Center Administrator’s decision to not include on the list of conditions covered for treatment by the program certain autoimmune diseases.
“The World Trade Center Administrator in a decision posted in the Federal Register has decided not to include on the list of conditions covered for treatment by the program certain autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and connective tissues diseases at this time. This decision was in response to a petition filed in April asking the Administrator to include these diseases as covered conditions based on a recent study published in the Journal of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
In denying the petition the Administrator…
… “ concluded that the available information did not have the potential to form the basis for a decision on whether to propose adding the following conditions to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions: Systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, systemic sclerosis, inflammatory myositis, Sjögren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener’s), or eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss). “
The Federal Register notice continued,
“The Administrator is aware that another study of autoimmune diseases among World Trade Center enrollees is being conducted by the World Trade Center Health Registry; however, results from this study are not yet available in the scientific literature. The Administrator will monitor the scientific literature for publication of the results of this study and any other studies that address autoimmune diseases among World Trade Center exposed populations.”
911 Health Watch knows that this decision is a disappointment for many 9/11 responders, survivors, their families and their physicians who believe that their autoimmune illnesses are caused by exposure to toxins at Ground Zero, but as with earlier determinations with respect to cancer, we are certain that if more evidence becomes available to justify it, the program will respond to include the conditions in the future.”