[ RadSafe ] Re: DOE research thorough, but is it adequate to reassure the public

[John Jacobus]

Dr. Parthasarathy,
DOE is the "cash cow" for low dose effects.  As a
scientific enterprise, this work needs to be done as
the knowledge gained increases our understanding of
biology and physics.  

Personally, I have never worried about low dose
effects, and I think few people (beyond this list) do.
 Humans are exposured over broad ranges of doses
without demonstrated adverse effects.  However, I do
have to respond to questions for people who have had
medical examinations and are suddenly "loosing sleep,"
"anxious," "scared," etc.  It is a constant battle to
put risks in perspective.

--- parthasarathy k s <ksparth at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> Dear John
>  
> The DOE presentation summarizes the current status
> in low dose research. It appears that for
> specialists there is no reason to lose sleep on low
> dose effects. Reassuring the public may still be an
> onerous task.In the ultimate analysis, what we need
> is the latter.
>  
> K.S.Parthasarathy
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: John Jacobus <crispy_bird at yahoo.com>
> To: radsafe <radsafe at radlab.nl>
> Sent: Thursday, 15 June, 2006 1:59:53 AM
> Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] Dose to Mae Keane may be
> kilorads!
> 
> 
> Jim,
> As you know, DOE has dropped lots of studies.  It
> has
> not be given the necessary funds by Congress, so
> things have to go.  This and other longevity studies
> have and probably will be cut, because no one really
> cares anymore. I am surprised that the Radiation
> Effects Research Foundation has been able to survive
> http://www.rerf.or.jp/top/healthe.htm.
> 
> I know you like to blame the LNT conspirators, but
> it
> is never that simple.  I remember all the fuss about
> the Naval Shipyard Worker Studies as being
> suppressed.
> Found that study at
> http://cedr.lbl.gov/shipyard.pdf,
> and others http://cedr.lbl.gov/.
> 
> Nevertheless, DOE is now funding low-dose radiation
> studies, so you should be glad about that. 
>
http://www.eh.doe.gov/radiation/workshop2005/presentations/metting.pdf
> 
> 
> --- "Muckerheide, Jim  (CDA)"
> <Jim.Muckerheide at state.ma.us> wrote:
> 
> > No. "Suppressed" means "kill the program"
> > (originally intended to be a
> > lifespan study of this most exposed group) before
> > the collection of data
> > would kill the LNT.  DOE first stopped CHR from
> > adding new people to the
> > group, limiting statistical power, and then
> stopped
> > the program from
> > medical follow-up of people already in the
> program. 
> > In recent years
> > they have prevented an update of the SSN-based
> > mortality data, limiting
> > the knowledge of how long the dial painters are
> > living and causes of
> > death.
> > 
> > DOE later turned the program over to NIOSH to
> > "decide" that it should
> > not be funded because there is no future threat to
> > workers of
> > significant radium body burdens (but of course the
> > majority of dial
> > painters received very low doses, e.g., the WWII
> > dial painters - which
> > would have killed EPA's ability to limit drinking
> > water to 5 pCi/L [4
> > mrem/yr], etc.)
> > 
> > Regards, Jim Muckerheide
> > 
> > 

+++++++++++++++++++
"You get a lot more authority when the workforce doesn't think it's amateur hour on the top floor."
GEN. MICHAEL V. HAYDEN, President Bush's nominee for C.I.A. director.

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com

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