One Ethiopian decides to come to America for cancer treatment, and Louie Smith weirdly concludes (Letters, Oct. 10) that health care reform is about to destroy America's perfect health care system. Many millions of Americans are not currently served by America's health care system at all, so when and if U.S. health policy evolves into something resembling what President Obama and the Democrats had hoped to achieve, we may in fact have a system that will serve all Americans, not just rich Americans or those with good insurance.

On another topic, the Herald also notes that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is initiating a study of thyroid conditions in Japanese children who may have been exposed to radiation from the damage at Fukushima. I hope the IAEA is wise enough to design their study like the Hanford Thyroid Disease Study conducted by the Fred Hutchinson Clinic in Seattle. The Japanese have a strong seafood component in their diets, and the study must include an appropriate control group and a sophisticated dose reconstruction approach or the study's results years from now will be worthless. My guess is that radiation from damage at Fukushima will have zero effect on anyone in the Japanese population.

MARTIN BENSKY, Richland