9/11 health program cuts called 'A death sentence' by advocates
9/11 health program cuts called 'A Death Sentence'
Advocates for 9/11 survivors are sounding the alarm after major cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program—threatening access to care for thousands of first responders and civilians. FOX 5's Kendall Green has the story.
NEW YORK - The Trump administration has cut more than 870 positions from the World Trade Center Health Program, leaving 9/11 first responders and survivors without essential medical resources.
Advocates say the federal government is breaking a promise to those exposed to toxic dust after the attacks, and that lives will be lost without urgent intervention.
What we know:
Attorney Michael Barasch, who represents more than 40,000 9/11 survivors and first responders, says recent staffing cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program will cost lives.
"By eliminating the health program, people will die," said Barasch. "I lose two clients every day to 9/11 illnesses."
Barasch called the decision "breach of that promise" made to people suffering from 9/11-related illnesses, and warned that PTSD is skyrocketing in the 9/11 community as support systems disappear.
Barasch and fellow advocates say both first responders and civilians are at risk. They stress that treatment, medication, and early diagnoses are now harder to access—and that doctors may not be able to continue fighting the effects of toxins released at Ground Zero.
"If you're a first responder or a civilian who lived or worked in Lower Manhattan after 9/11, and you have cancer, and you call up for an appointment—there's no one there to answer the calls," Barasch said. "There are no doctors to treat you. There are no doctors to certify your 9/11 illness so that you can get an award from the victim compensation fund."
By the numbers:
- The World Trade Center Health Program has been in operation since 2011.
- The program has linked 69 types of cancer to 9/11 toxins.
- More than 870 staff positions have recently been cut, including that of Dr. John Howard, the director of NIOSH.
'Lack of empathy':
John Feal, a 9/11 first responder and longtime advocate, was blunt in his assessment of the cuts.
"Reckless, inhumane lack of empathy," said Feal.
He added, "This will be detrimental—and on a scale from one to ten, this doesn’t even register. We've had one-to-ten issues before. This is one thousand."
Feal emphasized that more people have died from 9/11-related illnesses than from the attack itself and warned that the staffing cuts will affect the ability of doctors to certify cancer cases for compensation.
"If you are a 9/11 responder right now going into the program with cancer, the World Trade Center Health Program doctor who sees you cannot call a doctor at NIOSH to get your cancer certified," Feal said.