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NEW YORK - With the fifth anniversary of the destruction of the World Trade Center approaching, Mount Sinai Medical Center on Tuesday was to announce the results of what it said was the largest-ever study on health effects suffered by first responders at ground zero. The hospital has been the focal point of New York research on Sept. 11-related illnesses, and thousands have sought treatment there. The report comes as public concern over the fate of ground zero workers has risen. In a class action lawsuit against the city and its contractors, 8,000 workers and civilians blame Sept. 11 for sinusitis, cancers and other ailments they developed after the attacks. Dr. John Howard, who was appointed by the Bush administration in February to coordinate the various ground zero health programs, told The New York Times for Tuesday editions that he understands the skepticism of many responders. "I can understand the frustration and the anger, and most importantly, the concern about their future," said Howard, the head of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. "I can't blame them for thinking, 'Where were you when we needed you?"' Also Tuesday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg was to announce related new initiatives. The programs would "build on our track record of supporting those who supported us in the months after 9/11," he wrote in an op-ed piece in the Daily News. "The City will continue to do everything possible to learn about the problems people face and develop effective strategies to deal with them," wrote Bloomberg, whose administration has faced criticism for fighting workers' compensation claims in the courts. The city-run World Trade Center Health Registry is tracking the long-term effects on 71,000 people, including those who lived or worked in lower Manhattan at the time of the attacks and the months of cleanup. Gov. George Pataki signed legislation last month that expanded benefits for workers who became sick after toiling at ground zero. Bloomberg objected to the laws, saying they were unfunded and would cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars. Then, last week, New York City health officials issued long-awaited guidelines to help doctors detect and treat Sept. 11-related illnesses _ medical advice considered crucial for hundreds of ground zero workers now scattered across the United States. A House committee plans to hold a hearing on Sept. 11 health issues this week.
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