Who we are:
The University of Iowa College of Public Health
Contact Information:
Toll-free number: 1-866-282-5818
Web site: www.iowafwp.org
What we do:
The University of Iowa College of Public Health administers medical screenings to former workers from two DOE facilities in Iowa: the BAECP/Line 1/Division B at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAP) in West Burlington, Iowa, operational between 1949 and mid-1975; and the Ames National Laboratory on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, Iowa, established in 1942 and still in operation throughout today. Medical screenings are held in four locations in Iowa: Ames, West Burlington, Mount Pleasant and Iowa City.
Nearly 11,000 workers were employed in the manufacture and disassembly of nuclear weapons at the BAECP with an estimated 1,713 still living with known addresses; 48 percent reside outside of Iowa and are being referred to the National Supplemental Screening Program (NSSP) for screenings. Medical screenings for BAECP workers began in 2002. As of September 30, 2024, a total of 1,444 former workers have been screened and 2,230 rescreening exams have been completed.
Over 15,000 employees worked at the Ames Laboratory conducting materials science and applied chemical and physical research, and 11,275 of those workers are still living with known addresses; 67 percent reside outside of Iowa and are being referred to NSSP for screenings. Medical screenings for former Ames Laboratory workers began in 2006. As of September 30, 2024, a total of 2,302 former workers have been screened and 3,068 rescreening exams have been completed.
What we have found:
- Chest X-rays (N= 2,149 participants receiving at least one CXR): 15 percent of 2,149 participants demonstrated findings consistent with work-related lung disease.
- Pulmonary Function Tests (N= 2,248 participants receiving at least one PFT): 22 percent of 2,248 participants demonstrated findings consistent with obstructive airways disease.
- Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Tests (BeLPT) (N= 2,317 participants receiving at least one BeLPT): 3 percent of 2,317 participants had at least one abnormal BeLPT.
ELCD Program:
- Lung cancer was detected in 1 of 47 ELCD program participants receiving low-dose CT scans, which was an early stage lung cancer (Stage II non-small cell cancer) at the time of diagnosis.
Medical Staff:
Marek Mikulski, MD, PhD, MPH
Dr. Mikulski is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Iowa. He received his MPH and PhD degrees from the University of Iowa and MD from the Medical University of Lodz, Poland. Dr. Mikulski is an occupational epidemiologist with over 20 years of research experience, including studies of health effects of exposures in nuclear and conventional munitions production, the effects of age on pulmonary function testing and the epidemiology of work-related lung disease.
Dr. Mikulski has been the Principal Investigator of the Iowa FWP since 2018 and was the Co-PI beginning in 2006. He also serves as a liaison with Department of Labor, Department of Energy and congressional representatives from the State of Iowa for issues related to exposure profile and verification of employment for claims under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA). He has served on the DOL Advisory Board for Toxic Substances and Worker Health since 2018.