HREX Human Radiation Experimentation

Sources of Records

Some Atomic Veterans as well as other military and civilian population were unknowing subjects of radiation experimentation in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Because of a need or desire to understand the effects of radiation exposure and how to treat it, some exposed military and veteran personnel were deemed to be appropriate test subjects. Experiments were done in military and Veteran Administration Hospitals under the auspices of scientific laboratories.

Records are kept at four main Regional VA Hospital Record Centers and may also be found at some local treatment hospitals.

If you experience difficulties obtaining records contact your Congressman or your Veterans Service Officer, who has authority under 38 USC 4132 to access these records.

Records to ask for are: "Veteran; Patient; & Volunteer; Research and Development Records" and "Consolidated Health Records" to include but not limited to:

1. Administrative Record Folder      2. Subsidiary Record Information
3. Perpetual Medical Records    4. Ionizing Radiation Registry    5. Code Sheets

For files maintained at National Institute of Health, @ Bethesda, MD; VA Boston Development Center,@ Braintree, MD or VA Processing Center @ Austin, TX

Send requests to:   VA Central Office Washington, D.C.

Records may be available at:

Eastern Region VA Medical Record Center @ Baltimore MD with divisions at Albany NY, or Pittsburg PA.

Central Region VA Medical Record Center @ Ann Arbor MI with divisions at Indianapolis IN, or Minnesota MN, or St. Louis MO.

Southern Region VA Medical Record Center @ Jackson MS with divisions at Atlanta GA, or Dallas TX, or Tampa Bay FL.

Western Region VA Medical Record Center @ San Francisco CA with divisions at Palo Alto CA or Phoenix AZ, or Portland OR, or Salt Lake City UT.

Don't assume that your records are maintained in the region which you would expect to serve your area or the area at which treatment was received.

Also Check offices @ Hines IL, or Philadelphia PA and the (Integrated Data Center) @ Martinsburg WV

(Don't have addresses but they should be available on internet search)

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