Investigating the Medical Aspects of the World's Worst Industrial Disaster

Abstract

The 1984 disaster in Bhopal, India caused much mortality and morbidity of a multisystemic nature in the exposed population. Heated scientific debates occurred about the spectrum of health effects, toxicology, and treatment. The national and transnational aspects of the disaster impeded scientific public health investigation. Some of them included the lack of accident-related and toxicological information, expertise, and funds to conduct investigations. Government agencies failed to coordinate with each other and use validated methods in epidemiological investigation. The complexity of the Bhopal crisis was underscored by the severe mortality and morbidity as well as its occurrence in a developing nation that had little experience in dealing with chemical disasters. Lessons to be learned from the disaster include the use of scientific investigative methods to facilitate clinical investigation, long-term monitoring, rehabilitation, and treatment of the gas victims.