25 years after 9/11, doctors urge survivors to seek screening for emerging health conditions

As the country approaches the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks, health experts are encouraging people who lived, worked or attended school near the World Trade Center to find out whether they qualify for no-cost medical monitoring and treatment through the World Trade Center Health Program.

The federally funded program, administered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides care for eligible first responders and survivors who were exposed to toxic dust and debris during the disaster period from Sept. 11, 2001, through July 31, 2002.

Dr. Leigh Wilson, Medical Director of the NYC Health + Hospitals World Trade Center Health Program Clinical Center of Excellence, said many survivors who were children or teenagers at the time are now adults between the ages of 25 and 46 and may be experiencing health conditions linked to their exposure to the area during that time.

“People often remember the first responders, but many don’t realize children, students, residents and local workers were also exposed,” Dr. Wilson said.

She said exposure extended beyond the collapse itself. Dust settled inside homes, schools and businesses, becoming trapped in carpets, ventilation systems and other indoor spaces for months after the attacks.

In the years immediately following 9/11, many patients developed respiratory and digestive illnesses, including chronic sinus problems, asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly known as GERD.

After the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act became law in 2010, the program expanded to include coverage for numerous cancers associated with exposure to known and probable human carcinogens found in the dust.

Eligibility for the program will depend on several factors, including where a person was during the disaster period, the duration of their exposure, and whether their diagnosis meets the established medical criteria.

Dr. Wilson said there are still many eligible survivors who have not yet enrolled because they are unaware the program exists, or do not believe their exposure was significant enough.

She warned that delaying enrollment could make it more difficult to qualify in the future.

“As time goes on, it’s going to become harder to obtain documentation showing you were in the area,” Dr. Wilson said. “If someone develops cancer years from now, that documentation may be essential for receiving benefits.”

The program offers annual medical monitoring for eligible survivors diagnosed with certified conditions, along with treatment related to those illnesses. Benefits vary depending on an individual’s qualifying condition.

Wilson encourages anyone who lived, worked, attended school or daycare, or regularly spent time in Lower Manhattan during the disaster period- to determine whether they may qualify.

Health officials say the program is authorized through 2090, but gathering records proving exposure is likely to become more difficult with time.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements or how to enroll, visit enrollment the CDC’s World Trade Center Health Program website.