Review of the Proposal for the Gulf Long-Term Follow-Up Study: Highlights from the September 2010 Workshop: Workshop Report

摘要

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon, a semisubmersible offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, exploded. The well that the rig was drilling began to spew crude oil into the Gulf and continued to spew millions of liters of crude oil, until it was successfully capped in mid-July. This oil spill is unprecedented in its size, duration, and deep-water nature and in the use of dispersants and controlled burns in an attempt to ameliorate the spill. The potential for human health effects linked to exposure to the oil in the environment and to the dispersants and fumes from the controlled burns is of concern. Mental and behavioral health effects due to the temporary or permanent loss of livelihoods among the individuals in the fishing community and oil workers and uncertainty about the health of their environment and when they can return to work are also of concern. As part of its ongoing commitment to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide periodic independent reviews of the federal response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as it relates to the surveillance and monitoring of acute and long-term physical and behavioral health effects, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) convened the Committee to Review the Federal Response to the Health Effects Associated with the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. As part of its work, the committee planned a workshop to bring together experts to review and make comments on the Gulf study protocol, which was published on the IOM website just before the conference. This document highlights the presentations and discussions that occurred during the workshop, which was held on September 22, 2010, in Tampa, Florida. The workshop agenda can be found in the Appendix.