Military personnel and civilians living at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune in the 1970s and ’80s were more likely to develop a variety of cancers compared to those at another military base, according to one of the largest studies of its kind, that could bolster ongoing litigation over contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune.
FILE - Signage stands on the main gate to Camp Lejeune Marine Base outside Jacksonville, N.C., April ... [+]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ADSTR) found military personnel exposed to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune were at increased risk of certain types of leukemia and lymphoma as well as lung, breast, larynx, esophagus, thyroid and soft tissue cancers when compared to personnel at Camp Pendleton in California, which did not have known water contaminations during the study period.
The findings further establish the harm toxic drinking water had on civilians and military personnel who lived and worked on site between 1953 and 1987, building on smaller studies that found links to various health conditions and uncovering links to new cancers not currently listed as qualifying potential early settlement agreements.
The study could also help support the thousands of legal and administrative claims seeking compensation for health issues related to Camp Lejeune drinking water—lawyers for more than a thousand litigants had been pushing for the study’s release amid concerns it was being delayed during litigation.
At a news briefing, Aaron Bernstein of ATSDR said he was aware of the legal issues surrounding Camp Lejeune, but that the purpose of the work was to “ensure that we’re doing the best possible science” and that it followed the correct process, according to CNN.
The study, which the CDC says is one of the largest of its kind, found civilian workers had increased risk for myeloid cancers and some breast and lung cancers.
Forbes has contacted the Navy—which is handling claims regarding the base—for comment.
David Savitz, a Brown University researcher and a consultant for Camp Lejeune litigants’ attorneys, told the Associated Press the research will help support arguments made on behalf of those affected by the contaminated water at the base, calling the study “quite impressive.” But he also cautioned it cannot count as definitive, conclusive proof that the water caused the cancers, and that there may never be such proof because the exposures happened so long ago: “This is not something we’re going to be able to resolve definitively.”
According to the ATSDR, water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated by a multitude of sources, including improperly handled chemical waste from an off-base dry cleaner and leaking underground storage tanks. The ATSDR has maintained that toxic chemicals found in drinking water at Camp Lejeune between the 1950s and 1980s likely increased the risk of cancers. But legal claims against the government were barred due to immunity claims until President Joe Biden signed a 2022 law allowing potential claimants to sue. The government has allowed claimants to file administrative claims with the Navy, and then file lawsuits if the claim is denied or the Navy fails to respond within six months, according to a website established for Lejeune claimants. The Justice Department has also established a so-called elective option that could allow for quicker compensation if the claimant meets certain criteria, including if they have developed one of the nine prequalifying diseases that have established links to Camp Lejeune.
At least 160,000. That’s how many claims the Navy has received, according to Ideastream Public Media.
The deadline to file administrative claims is Aug. 10.