The hearing to decide exactly what ailments of September 11th, 2001, responders will be covered by the federal government has been postponed today.

The problem, apparently, was technical--the organizers could not figure out how to set up a conference call between all the participatants.

The hearing was to be held to focus, in particular, on the issue of cancer treatments. At present, these are not covered by the $2.8 billion Victim Compensation Fund because of skepticism that responders got cancer because of the toxic atmosphere at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

DNAinfo.com reported that a scientific advisory panel may issue a recommendation as soon as March or April about which types of cancer, if any, ought to be covered by the federal government.

Cancer Cancer Cancer