A New York Police Department detective who served as a first responder after the 9/11 terrorist attacks is making the argument that the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) should cover kidney diseases, pointing to his experience and the experiences of his coworkers to make his case. He claims that some first responders, himself included, have suffered kidney problems as a result of their exposure to toxins at Ground Zero, but says that the condition is woefully overlooked.

Detective Rich V.’s argument that kidney diseases should be covered in compensation funds came after Congress approved $10.2 billion in funding for the VCF. Despite this additional investment, Rich claims that the funds do not cover enough of the conditions that have resulted from 9/11 toxin exposure.

Rich V. worked as a first responder after the terrorist attacks of September 11, then worked sorting through debris, and says that he developed kidney problems as a result. According to Rich, he was covered in debris and dust from Ground Zero, and inhaled more. 

Less than a year later, in June 2002, Rich says that he received a diagnosis of IgA Nephropathy, a condition that causes the kidneys’ filtration function to shut down. This condition reportedly had a devastating effect on his kidneys, destroying 60 percent of their function. 

According to Rich, his doctors believe that the toxins that led to him developing IgA Nephropathy entered his body through his lungs, and then made their way to his kidney.

Rich says that he received a kidney transplant years later, but still had to retire from the force only in his 30s. IgA Nephropathy is a rare disease, and normally afflicts those in their 50s and 60s. At the time of his retirement, he had worked only 13 years for the police department, reports The News Journal.

Compensation for Kidney Damage?

According to Rich, the compensation set up by the government does not cover all conditions, and instead “picks and chooses” what illnesses are eligible for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, reports The News Journal. 

Rich V. says that this should change, because it leaves some victims without support. Reportedly, he is not the only first responder to be struck with kidney problems as a result of their time as first responders, saying that two of his co-workers suffered the same diagnosis of IgA Nephropathy, and also experienced kidney failure and had kidney transplants.

Those individuals who were impacted by Ground Zero that did not apply or missed the deadline to apply for VCF funds may have a second chance for compensation, as a retroactive window opened for people suffering from the aftermath of 9/11, but this does not help Rich.

Mount Sinai reports that in 2013, research indicated that first responders who inhaled high levels of particles at Ground Zero were at risk for kidney damage, as first responders were beginning to develop signs of kidney failure. This research was conducted by the WTC-CHEST Program of the World Trade Center Health Program Clinical Center for Excellence at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

To examine the possible connection between inhalation of particles at Ground Zero and kidney damage, researchers tested the presence of a particular protein in the urine of first responders. This protein — albumin — reportedly indicates kidney damage. Reportedly, those first responders who inhaled a significant amount of particulate matter had higher levels of albumin than those first responders who did not inhale much particulate matter.

Mount Sinai explains that there was a range of particles produced during the terrorist attacks, which were then airborne and breathed in by victims and first responders. Reportedly, these contaminants included glass fibers, smoke, heavy metal, and cement dust. 

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund covers a range of lung diseases linked to toxin exposure, as well as over 20 types of cancers. The American Lung Association explains that research has been done to explore the effects of the toxins on lungs, but the effects on kidneys is relatively unexamined.